Farm Workers/laborers

Job description

Workers will be required to perform a variety of duties related to the production of row crops (hay/straw, corn, beans, wheat, alfalfa, and barley), tobacco, and livestock.

Diversified crops: corn, beans, wheat, alfalfa, and barley
• Fill planters with seed from bags by hand.
• Use equipment to plant seeds.
• Load and unload seed bags from trucks.
• Drive trucks and agricultural equipment loaded with harvested crops from one location to another on the farm (e.g., from field to storage facility located on the farm). Trucks vary in size and may include semi-trucks that are licensed with a limited tag that allows only for farm use. A commercial driver’s license is not required to operate the vehicles pursuant to Kentucky law.
• Clean and prepare equipment and tools.
• Prepare fields for next crop.

Diversified crops: hay/straw
• Clip and mow hay fields.
• Use equipment to rake and bale hay.
• Pick up bales and place them on wagons or trucks.
• Place bales in sheds and barns for storage.
• Clean and prepare fields for next crop.
• Cultivate and seed fields for next crop.
• Move rolled hay with equipment to storage

Tobacco
• Participate in a safety meeting and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training.
• Transport transplants to the field.
• Prepare soil for tobacco transplanting.
• Maintain and service tobacco transplanting equipment.
• Transplant tobacco and monitor plant spacing and depth.
• Replace any missing or problem tobacco transplants.
• Prepare, maintain, and operate cultivation equipment.
• Manually hoe tobacco ground of any grass or broad leaf weeds.
• Top tobacco at proper leaf count.
• Apply sucker control material.
• Maintain and operate irrigation equipment.
• Cut tobacco and put it on sticks, careful not to break or sun burn tobacco.
• Load tobacco onto outside frame and cover with shade cloth.
• Load tobacco onto trailers for transport to tobacco curing barns.
• House tobacco in curing barns with correct stick spacing.
• Remove tobacco from curing barns 45 to 80 days after housing. Tobacco must be in cure or correct moisture content and inspected for proper curing.
• Remove tobacco leaves from tobacco stalks into multiple grades.
• Clean and repair barns and equipment for next growing season.
• Using pick ups and vans that are also used to haul tools and wagons between sites. A valid driver license is required to drive farm vehicles on public roads. A commercial driver’s license is not required.

Livestock
• Apply bedding for livestock.
• Vaccinate cattle.
• Dehorn calves.
• Prepare feed for animals.
• Remove waste from housing barns.
• Repair fencing.
• Feeding cattle.
• Animal husbandry (Day-to-day care of livestock).

Alternative Work
• This could include workers preparing barns, preparing land for planting, draining fields, maintenance of tools and equipment, and other work that is directly related to growing crop and activities for which the worker was hired. Such work will be offered when climate or crop conditions preclude working in the primary activities listed above.

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications: No previous experience is required. However, workers must be able to lift at least 60 lbs. but up to 80 lbs. up to 4 ft for extended periods of time. Cannot be color blind due to the need to distinguish colors of crops, must be able to use both hands, able to use shears and other agricultural tools.

Must be able to work under conditions where skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, grease, etc. Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions, including rain, cold, high winds, etc. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in the field or residential housing.

Work is performed in open fields and may involve exposure to mud, dust, wind, cold, and other natural elements. Temperatures will be under winter conditions and may be as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described.