Nebraska Updates

Update on Proposed Farm Rule:  Several of your Letters to the Editor at the Journal Star were printed, and many of you voiced your concerns over the federal Department of Labor's proposed farm rule.  Your voices are being heard!  Since the proposed rule wasn't a bill that our Congress could vote on, we now have to wait and see what the Department of Labor does next.  The National Affairs Coordinator at the Nebraska Farm Bureau has told me that they could come out with a finalized rule in two months or in a year in a half, so we really don't know when that will happen.  They could also shelve the rule completely.  If they do come out with a revised rule, and if it does appear to affect detasseling, the rules normally have a 1-2 year period before they actually are put into practice.  The really good news is that Congressman Fortenberry and his office are writing a bill that would exempt detasseling from the rule should it ever appear, and I would think we would have time to get that bill passed before any rule would take effect. 

 

Thanks again for all your efforts in writing!  The teens of Nebraska put this issue on the map.  About a week before the period ended for people to make comments at the Department of Labor website, there were only about 2000 comments.  But after you guys started writing in, there were over 9,000 comments by the end of the comment period.

 

The American Seed Trade Association has written a lengthy 27-page letter to the DOL about this rule.  You can find it at  http://www.amseed.org/pdfs/USDOL-ChildLaborChanges.pdf

 

Some Really Great Youtube Links!!!

2011 Highlight Slide Show:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUWlEHZpKzY

2011 Hope Venture Quarry Project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0v9_aJdQ54

2011 NATS Movie Trailer created by Micah B.!!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T43l8I8xsJw

Remake of "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Cambria B.!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrDd-Y0E1MI&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

 

T-shirts.  If you could not make it to the pool party and would still like a T-shirt, I would love to give you one!!!  It looks like I will need to order some more Mediums and Extra Larges, so if you know you need one of those it would be helpful if you could email me so I can put an order together for that.  I've already got Extra Smalls,  Smalls and Larges here at the house, so just call if you're going to be in the neighborhood (we live near Gateway Mall) and we'll get one ready for you!

 

Positivity.  I'm not even sure if that's a word or not, but I guess it is now!  Or to quote the Justin Bieber song, "You Smile; I Smile"--whoa, did I just say 'Justin Bieber'??  At any rate, I think this season I've received a record number of 'happy' emails from parents and teens alike.  I cannot even BEGIN to tell you how much that has meant to me--truly the wind beneath my wings.  It seems like when I was completely overwhelmed and stressed out, there in my inbox would be a message or two from a teen or parent, expressing their gratitude or giving me an inside view on how detasseling was really an awesome experience for them.  I even had two different detasseling moms each make a fantabulous meal for us as I continued to recover from our newest little blessing born on June 18th!  Wow.  It is humbling to be blessed with so many amazing detasseling families.  Thank you for being a part of our lives.

 

And today was no exception with regards to your 'smiles'.  Many people don't realize that after the field work is done, there is still a HUGE amount of work for me and my assistants to do. As we were working hard today to prepare your detail sheets and do a number of season-end things, yet again some emails came in that took the weight off of my shoulders:

 

"Hello, I want to start by saying THANK YOU so much for providing such a positive first work experience for Hailey! She came home from the swim party crying. She didn't want it to be over.  Makes a mother proud to see her 13-year-old daughter learn an ethic like that! Thank you for helping to teach something that is very hard to instill these days! God bless you!"

 

"Thank you sooo much for the chance of a lifetime!! I had a great first year of detasseling!! It was a blast! Not only was it a chance to make money, but it was a chance to meet 50 new people and make new friends!! I just wanted to let you know that what your company does is awesome!!!! Keep it up! Thank you for gearing 110% of your energy and time towards NATS. Thanks for making my summer one of the best!!!!"

 

So thank you, parents and teens, for "smiling" at me.  Your positive attitude and encouraging words are a testimony to the high character that you have.  You all kept me going when I thought I really couldn't do another day.  Your attitude reminds me of that song from Snow White, "Whistle While You Work."  You've learned a lot this summer, accomplished a ton, and have hopefully experienced the truth of this saying:  "It is your Attitude, not your Aptitude, that will determine your Altitude."  


May God bless each of you.