Farm Laborer

Job description

The farm worker position includes duties associated with the harvesting of bluberries. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 75 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 in 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.

Blueberries
Workers will be assigned specific patches of blueberries to work. Workers will remove weeds from around the plants and from the row middles. Workers will bend and stoop to pick berries according to size, color, shape and degree of maturity and place into field containers. Workers will be expected to pick fully ripe berries, discard any cat faced, deformed, decayed or undersized berries according to supervisor's instructions. Also, workers must carefully remove any undesirable berries from the plant that would later cause fungi to attack the plant. Workers may carry full containers weighing approximately six (6) lbs and empty into field bin or load onto trailer. In some instances workers will be expected to fill a one gallon plastic pail carefully filling the pail to capacity. Buckets must be full for correct measure and weight. When full, buckets are carried to end of rows at designated truck-loading place. Then the buckets of berries will be inspected for quality and loaded for transportation to roadside market. Depending on market demand, workers may also be required to pick berries in cups, clamshells and/or flats. Berries harvested specifically for sale at a roadside stand as fresh market specialty basket containers must be field graded. For berries harvested for sale at roadside stands, extra care must be used to ensure that each berry is undamaged and perfect. All berries must be handled carefully to prevent bruises or fingernail cuts. Pickers will take extreme care not to damage the delicate berries. Quality and workmanship is of the utmost importance. Workers may be required to perform other tasks maintenance activities for berry operation.

Farm and Field Sanitation: 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 personal hygiene 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.

Workers may be required to operate farm vehicles and equipment such as trucks, tractors, and forklifts. Workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the vehicle/equipment before operating. All vehicles should be driven in a manner to protect workers, harvested produce, in-field crops, and equipment. Operators should ensure all equipment is functioning correctly before operating. The use of all necessary PPE and safety equipment including wearing of seatbelt at all times when operating farm equipment is mandatory. Workers may assist with the repair, service, & maintenance of farm equipment including the prep, cleaning, lubrication, assembly, inspection, dismantling of equipment parts.