Farm Workers

Job description

Workers will plant, cultivate and harvest sugarcane, soybeans, wheat, rice and milo. Operate and maintain farm vehicle, tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, self-propelled machinery, combines and equipment to plant, cultivate and harvest crops. Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety and emergency equipment is in good working order. Operate and control sugarcane combine. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowel, hoes, tampers and knives. Transplant and weed crops. Till soil and apply fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Load and unload harvested products. Participate in irrigation activities, such as set up and operate irrigation equipment. Clear and maintain irrigation ditches. Walk rice, soybean and crawfish fields to check on and maintain adequate water supply to crops from wells. Use shovels for end of season draining of fields. Maintain levees. Drain excess water from field, open drainage overfill pipes and walk each field to check for standing water. Check wells each day and service wells. Put down and retrieve levee gates for irrigation of crops. Assist with cleaning equipment using steam cleaner or high dump pits. Excess grain must be removed from bin, walls, roof, floors and auger with blowers, brooms and shovels. Workers must move the auger from bin to bin and clean the auger. Climb steps and ladders on the grain bins. Workers must level the contents of grain bins with a shovel. Properly load seed onto hopper. Receive rice crop for drying and storage at grain drying facility. Load field wagons with sugarcane stalk segements. Walk behind field wagon in groups and remove pre-cut sugarcane stalks from supply trailer and manually place and straighten predetermined numbers of sugarcane stalks into an open furrow at specific intervals/overlaps. Follow harvester on foot through the field picking up dropped cane. Perform general farm maintenance including weed and grass control. Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress. As a minor activity, harvest crawfish. Workers who have a valid driver's license and doctor's certificate may drive trucks or vans to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers on or off the farm.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time.

TERMINATION. Prior to any termination for cause, employer evaluates workers' performance of required tasks and compliance with Work Rules and other employer policies. Employer may terminate a worker for cause if the worker's performance consistently and/or substantially fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations (in accordance with the criteria set forth herein), or otherwise engages in serious or egregious misconduct that endangers health, safety, or property.

Special Requirements

Three months verifiable experience operating sugarcane equipment required. Workers will walk, sit, bend, reach and pull for prolonged periods of time; lift and carry up to 50 lbs.; climb 25 ft. ladders on the side of grain bins; and work in inclement weather conditions including extreme heat, cold and/or rain. Hazardous occupation. Must be 18 or older.