U.S. blueberry farm faces child labor charges

Wal-Mart, Kroger and Meijer have suspended business with at least one of the farms; a large blueberry grower in southwestern Michigan, after authorities found children as young as 5 working in their fields reports ABC News. The blueberry farm at the heart of the scandal is Adkin Blue Ribbon Blueberry Company, located near South Haven, about 85 miles northeast of Chicago. In an interview with Associated Press, Adkin general manager Tony Marr said the company's policy prohibits child labor. He says, "We certainly don't condone or promote child labor here in any way." Marr added, "Wal-Mart, Kroger and Meijer are very large customers of ours, and certainly we're cooperating with them in providing information about our internal investigation, trying to figure out what the kids were doing there." Carnegie fellows who were part of the ABC News investigation found an 11-year-old boy working in the fields who told them he had been working there for 3 years. An Adkin spokesperson said that some parents take their children to work with them. Joel Stonington, a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism said in an interview with ABC News, "What it really comes down to is small fingers picking the smaller fruits and vegetables." Inspectors also found migrant workers living in labor camps that were not licensed and that the workers were living in substandard conditions. Government investigators found faulty sewage systems seeping up near the living quarters and untreated waste water spilling out of broken pipes. The workers did not have access to hot water and the camps were found to be infested with bugs and rodents, reported Associated Press. The U.S. Department of Labor said their surprise checks of 35 Michigan farms resulted in eight operations being fined about $36,000 and 10 other farms being cited for violations. Adkins was the only farm found with violations to both migrant housing, and child labor laws.