Agricultural Equipment Operators

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
apples.
This job requires a minimum of 3 months of prior experience working in tree fruit orchards, handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Workers will manually plant root stock, cultivate and harvest apples. Use hand tools, including but not limited to, shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears and knives. Duties include tilling soil and applying fertilizers, transplanting, weeding, thinning or pruning crops; applying pesticides or herbicides; cleaning and loading harvested products. There are no packing duties involved. Construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings or participate in irrigation activities. Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements and mechanical equipment. Clear and maintain irrigation ditches. Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields or costs.

Prune trees seasonally to promote optimum growth of tree and fruit. Gathers pruned branches from area for disposal. Performs summer pruning and suckering by cutting terminal growth and water sprouts from inside of tree using hand pruner. Thins trees from orchard to eliminate diseased or nonproductive trees using chain saw.

To provide a safe and healthy crop, workers will be trained in USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification standards. Failure to abide by GAP standards will be grounds for dismissal. Workers required to follow common sanitary practices at all times, particularly when hand harvesting crops for human consumption. Workers required to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before entering fields for harvest activities.

Supervisor(s) will provide instructions and directions to workers. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers expected to perform basic duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision. Workers must obey all safety rules and basic instructions and be able to recognize, understand and comply with safety, pesticide warning/re-entry and other essential postings.

Pick apples for fresh market and/or processing. Worker places ladder firmly against or within tree in a secure position so as not to break limbs or knock off fruit and to prevent slipping or falling. All fruit to be handled with care to avoid causing bruising. Apples injured by bruising during picking shall not exceed 0% (WNY) for fresh and 1% (WNY) for processing. Each worker's picked fruit will be inspected according to instructions given each day by the orchard foreman. Workers will be directed to strip all fruit from tree at one picking or to spot pick (selective picking) according to size and color depending on crop conditions and state of maturity. Fruit picked as drops is never mixed with tree fruit. Productivity must be at least 4 bins (80 bushels) fresh market and/or 6 bins (120 bushels) processing fruit per day.

Workers failing to produce a sufficient number of piece rate units to earn the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for all hours worked during a pay period will be paid on an hourly basis at the AEWR for that pay period. Workers paid on an hourly basis who fail to perform their duties in a timely and proficient manner will be provided up to three warnings, and will be coached/instructed on working faster and more efficiently. Worker may be terminated upon issuance of third warning.

Workers drive/operate tractors. Workers will be instructed in safety and operation of the tractor before driving/operating. Tractors should be driven in a manner to protect operator, other workers, trees, crops and equipment. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of prior experience working in tree fruit orchards, handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire upon suspicion and post-accident drug testing required.