NALC webinar will discuss how to navigate federal child labor laws
Aug. 3, 2026
By Phillip Powell
National Agricultural Law Center
Fast Facts
- Federal child labor laws to be discussed during free webinar
- Agricultural exemptions and hazardous occupations will also be covered
- Penn State Attorney Audry Thompson to lead presentation
(264 words)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Agricultural employers navigating federal child labor laws can gain practical legal guidance during the National Agricultural Law Center’s free August webinar.
The webinar, "Minors Working on the Farm: Child Labor Laws for Agricultural Employers," will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m. to noon CDT. Registration is available online through the National Agricultural Law Center's website.
The presentation will be led by Audry Thompson, staff attorney with the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law. Thompson will provide an overview of the Fair Labor Standards Act's child labor provisions as they apply to agriculture, including exemptions unique to farming operations.
Participants will learn how federal law regulates the employment of minors in agriculture, including when exemptions allow young workers to engage in farm labor. The webinar will also examine occupations classified as particularly hazardous, and how federal requirements interact with state laws governing youth employment.
"The agriculture industry operates under a unique set of labor regulations, and understanding those rules is critical for producers and agricultural employers," said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center. "We're pleased to welcome Audry to help explain these important legal requirements and answer questions from attendees."
The webinar is free and open to the public as part of the Center's continuing webinar series, which explores current and emerging issues in agricultural and food law. Programs are designed for attorneys, agricultural professionals, educators, policymakers and anyone interested in agricultural law. Each program includes opportunities for questions and discussion.
Additional information and registration are available through the National Agricultural Law Center's webinar page.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture,
communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices.
Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service,
the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s
historic land-grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
Media Contact:
Phillip Powell
ppowell1@uark.edu