Farmworkers And Laborers

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated with the planting, cultivation, harvesting of grapes. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 50 pounds for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. This work requires adherence to important food safety and quality standard operating procedures and the ability to work quickly and consistently alongside fellow workers with 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 crops grown, harvested, packed, and shipped from the farm.

Crops Contained in Request: Grapes.

Workers may perform the following job duties on any of the commodities listed above and various points during the duration of the contract.

Grapes: Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Primary tasks are grape production and cultivation activities, including planting and cultivating vines and harvesting grapes. Worker will perform vineyard canopy management to permit light and air to circulate around grapevines, including thinning fruit and removing shoots and vines. Workers may apply herbicide sprays following established safety procedures and instruction to canopy. Workers will perform vineyard maintenance activities such as weed control, mowing, hand rakes and chemicals. Workers will spray the vines with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides. Workers will install and maintain vine trellises and tie vines to trellises. Workers will perform various routine maintenance tasks such as trellis repair, hoeing, drainage repair, erosion control, site preparation, etc. Workers may load and unload trucks, install irrigation equipment and clean equipment. Workers will assist in moving harvested fruit from field to processing area. Workers may perform general indoor tasks or post-harvest activities (packing or moving products to storage at winery facility). Workers may also work with mechanized field work using power equipment (tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators, etc). Specialized vineyard tasks to include: pruning, tying, suckering/shoot thinning, weeding, trellis maintenance, leaf & fruit thinning, and vineyard layout, installing protective cartons and bamboo/wood/other material training stakes. Cleaning of work areas, equipment, tools, harvesting bins and picking lugs. Collecting, loading and unloading of harvested fruit. Installation of and take down of bird protection netting.

Vineyard Maintenance
Workers involved in vineyard maintenance may be required to hoe vines, girdle, spread fertilizer, pick up roots and limbs, strip suckers or unwanted growth from vines, dig root suckers, remove vines, lay irrigation pipe, repair and maintain drip system, and strap and tie vines. Employer will provide all equipment. Instruction will be given for each task and expectations will be communicated to workers. The expectations for these duties will change based on crop and weather conditions.
Farm Equipment Operator During Field Operations:

Workers may be required to operate tractors and other farm equipment during field operations as an incidental activity in the production of crops. Properly licensed workers may be required to transport fellow employees. Before any worker is required to operate any farm equipment, the worker will be instructed in the proper and safe operation of tractor. Workers will be required to operate tractors according to instructions and in a manner that protects the operator, other workers, trees, crops and equipment. Repeated failure to obey operating and safety instructions may result in termination.

Special Requirements

Employer may conduct drug/alcohol testing post-employment and at the employer's expense.

Employer may conduct criminal background checks post-employment and at the employer's expense.