Families and agriculture groups say farming can be dangerous but parents are in the best position to protect their children while helping them learn about the family business.

Agriculture organizations succeeded last spring in convincing the U.S. Labor Department to drop proposals that would limit farm work by children. Now they say the government should leave safety to parents.

John Myers, of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Administration, says it's unfortunate the Labor Department dropped its plans because children working on farms are at greater risk than those with other jobs.

The push for tougher restrictions came as fewer children are being injured on farms.

For every 1,000 U.S. farms, agriculture-related injuries to workers younger than 20 dropped by nearly half from 2001 to 2009.