A new proposal by the Labor Department could hurt family farms across the country.

The proposal would change the child labor laws.

The goal of the proposal is improve safety and prevent the deaths of young people.

But some fear that it could seriously hurt programs like Future Farmers of America and 4H.

Here are the proposed changes:

Kids under 15 would only be allowed to work on their family's farms. They would also be restricted from working near bulls, boars, sows or nursing cows.

Kids under 16 could not use most power equipment.

And ... anyone under 18 who was not an agricultural worker would not be allowed near grain elevators, live stock exchanges and auctions.

The public has until December 1 to comment on these new regulations.

There are two ways that you can make your feelings known about this issue:

You can write a letter to the following address:

The Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Ave.,
NW, Washington D.C. 20210

Or you can make an electronic submission at: www.regulations.gov. You will need to  type WHD-2011-0001-0001 in the enter keyword or ID box and submit your comment.