General Farm Workers

Job description

*All packing and stacking duties will be performed in the field and on the farm*

Commodities to harvest and pack: Raspberries

General Farm Workers to perform the following duties:

Raspberry Harvester (Ground: Domestic and Export): This position works under close supervision of the harvest crew foreperson. This position safely and efficiently harvests raspberry crop either by ground or with the assistance of a Harvest Pro machine. This position may perform other general labor work (see Weeding job description). All agricultural labor is performed in the field and on the farm.

Essential Job Duties:

• Harvests fresh, juice and / or freezer depending on grower requests
• Properly grades and sorts raspberries according to size and quality
• Packages suitable fruit in required packaging container and box
• Inspects raspberry fruit for signs of disease and insect manifestation
• Discards inferior raspberries onto row floor
• Manually plants, transplants, cultivates, weeds (see weeding job description), and thins crop
• Reports all safety problems, incidents, and injuries to foreman immediately.
• Complies with all Company Policies, including observing appropriate lunch and rest periods.

Qualifications:

• Overtime Work as needed.
• Able to keep up at a reasonable pace with the rest of the crew
• Able to read safety signs
• Able to perform work up to company standards

Physical Requirements:

• The employee is constantly required to stand, walk, reach, use hands/fingers to handle or feel, hear and see.
• The employee is constantly required to push, pull, lift and carry from 1 lb up to 25 lbs., with occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs.
• Occasional reaching above shoulder with frequent reaching below shoulder level.
• The employee is in constant bending and twisting of the waist, with frequent squatting.

Working environment:

• The employee is constantly required to work in outside atmospheric weather conditions, uneven ground, and noise, vibration, around hazards such as moving machine parts, equipment, wet rows, wind and dust.
• The employee is occasionally required to work under cold temperatures just above freezing and heat.

Crop Maintenance/Weeder: The Weeder is responsible for manually removing weeds, cultivating, planting, transplanting, deflowering, crop removal, shoveler, bed up labor and all other duties as assigned with raspberry crop. This is a non-managerial position and works under the close supervision of the crew foreperson.

Plant cleaning: weeding using long-handled hoes and by hand, pulling plastic, pulling of drip tape, plant/field maintenance, cleaning of old and new vegetative growth on plant bed. Plant bed will be classified as Medium or High according to the number of runners and new/old vegetative growth present during performing work tasks. Weeding of hand is occasional/intermittent (less than 20% of weekly work time). Employer complies with the California health and safety rules applicable to hand weeding.
Workers may occasionally and/or sporadically perform duties associated with and directly related to the primary duties. Such work will be temporary and unsubstantial agricultural labor.

Essential Job Duties:

• Weeds and cultivates crop using both hands.
• Removes dry leaf debris from crop using both hands
• Removes by hand the plastic layering from the crop.
• Applies Persimilis to crop
• Performs general ranch/field clean up
• Complies with all Company Policies, including observing appropriate lunch and rest periods.
• Use of hand tools such as blade or knife to cut weeds

Qualifications:

• Able to follow verbal direction
• Able to follow safety and conduct rules

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications: Three months experience in berry harvest is required. Work is performed in open fields and may involve exposure to mud, dust, wind, heat, cold, and other natural elements. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of employment. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in the field or residential housing. Ability to communicate in English or Spanish is required for training and safety purposes. (i.e. Workers must listen to, understand and follow instructions of Employer supervisors and managers.)