I want to take this opportunity to say that I share my colleagues concern with regard to the Department of Labors interpretation and enforcement of the Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act. Subjecting farmers. ranchers and other goodfaith agricultural employers to civil and criminal penalties for failing to register as farm labor contractors clearly was not the intent of Congress when it enacted this important legislation. Our intent. and this is explicit in the statute itself. was to protect "producers of agricultural products. migrant agricultural laborers. and the public generally" from certain irresponsible independent farm labor contractors. or crew leaders. To make it clear that the law applied only to these independent crew leaders. specific exemptions were provided for farmers and other agricultural employers. including their employees. Unfortunately.