Farmworker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Broadleaf tobacco.
Work in fields and barns/curing structures performing manual tasks associated with tobacco production. Plant, cultivate and harvest broadleaf tobacco. Fertilize, transplant, top and apply sucker control. Stand up plants after storms.
Harvest tobacco plants using hatchets. Pick up plants (2-3 each), hand plants to spearer/hooker. Hook or spear plants onto lath, load into wagon. Workers will handle and hang lath in curing barns for drying onto poles, standing at considerable height using ladders. Work requires working on rails in barns/curing structures, which are 48 inches apart and from 6 feet to 20 feet above the ground. Workers must have no fear of working from heights.
After curing, take down tobacco and strip/bundle leaves for market and load in trucks for transport. Take care to prevent damaging plants at all stages to ensure wrapper-quality product.
Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, knives, hatchets, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs.
Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches.
Work is done in the field for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 50 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 10 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job.
Tobacco use strictly prohibited. No smoking or tobacco use of any kind permitted in the fields, worker housing, or anywhere on company premises. This is necessary to protect against transmission of toxins and contamination from tobacco by-products. Employer reserves the right to discharge any employee found smoking or in possession of smoking materials, including cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco or smoking paraphernalia.

Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may drive company vehicles. Workers with appropriate licenses may transport other workers to-and-from Andre Groszyk Farm LLC provided housing directly to worksites each day and transporting workers around Andre Groszyk Farm LLC during the workday and possibly carrying equipment/supplies and this may involve the worker(s) operating the vehicles across public roads in order to reach the other farm properties to perform their work. Workers are driving multi-purpose vehicles that have a capacity of less than 13 tons, require a standard driver’s license to operate, may be used on or off farm by the workers (e.g., drive to the grocery store, bank, etc. at their discretion). Workers are not required or expected to arrange for the routine pick-up of another worker or groups of workers on a regular schedule at other housing locations or centralized pick-up points.

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. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight,

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 2 months of agricultural experience performing manual tasks on a farm. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform manual tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 50 lbs.