Farm Laborer

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated with the harvesting and packing of cabbage, potatoes,collards, kale , turnips,mustards, beets and cilantro. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 65 pounds for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. It also includes making important decisions based on size, coloring, and ripeness according to prescribed standards.

This work requires adherence to important food safety and quality standard operating procedures and the ability to work quickly and consistently alongside fellow workers with a positive, professional, team- based attitude and a consideration for the safety and health of fellow workers and of the consumers who will purchase and consume the fresh produce grown, harvested, packed, and shipped from the farm.

Cabbage: Workers will be assigned a row or series of rows and required to select and cut/pick produce according to criteria outlined and demonstrated by managers such as size, coloring, and ripeness.They will be responsible for in-field grading and discarding of poor quality, rotting, and/or over-ripened produce. Workers will gently load the good quality produce into containers, taking care to avoid damage or bruising. Workers may drive tractors, trucks and forklifts as Cabbage is field packed and loaded and transported from field in containers weighing 50lbs – 54lbs.

Kale, Greens (Collards, Turnip, Mustard) , Cilantro and Beets: Workers will be assigned a row or series of rows and required to select and pick produce according to criteria outlined and demonstrated by managers such as size, coloring, and ripeness. They will be responsible for in-field grading and discarding of poor quality, rotting, and/or over-ripened produce. Workers will gently load the good quality produce into containers, taking care to avoid damage or bruising. Workers will remove weeds manually either by hand or with a hoe. Kale and greens will be packed in the field 12 bunches to 24 bunches in each box. Boxes need to weigh 24lbs. Workers will cut mature greens using knife as specified by employer.

Products will be placed into sacks or boxes and placed on trailer for transport. Workers may grade products removing bad or damaged leaves and repack for shipment. Workers will be required to stay on their assigned row. Workers must take care not to damage surrounding plants during harvest.

Potatoes: Grading will be done by working carefully remove any leaves and defective pieces as defined by grading supervisor as potatoes move across grading belt/tables. Potatoes must be handled carefully to avoid bruises or fingernail cuts. Fillers: workers will bag the graded fruit in paper bags or appropriate containers by hand as necessary according to packing instructions disclosed by the supervisor. Workers will stack paper bags onto pallets once full.

Farm, Field Sanitation and Packing Shed: Workers may be responsible for picking up trash, cleaning bathrooms, and other similar farm sanitation as part of SOPs and SSOPs within Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Good Handling Practices (GHPs), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Food Safety. This includes personalhygiene and handling the fruit in the field with an emphasis on food safety, sanitizing all harvesting tools and keeping the fields as clean as possible. Workers may be responsible for pulling plastic, picking up trash, cleaning bins and other similar farm sanitation.