Farmworker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
diversified vegetables including collards, kale, cauliflower, beets, carrots, raddishes, greens, watermelon, squash, zucchini, sunflowers, small pumpkins.
Perform manual and/or mechanized duties associated with the breeding, care, and raising of livestock on a ranch. Feed and water livestock. Herd livestock to pasture for grazing. Herd animals into corral and/or stall. Manually restrain animal. Maintain/repair fences used to contain herd animals.

Plant, cultivate and harvest fruits and vegetables. Use hand tools including, but not limited to: shovels, hoes and knives. Plant roots, seeds and bulbs. Spread plastic or other groundcovering. Clean plastic by hand from ground upon removal. Till soil. Weed and thin plants. Transplant plants by hand. Stake/tie plants, trellis/prune plants, and set poles and wires for vine plants. Pick, cut, lift, or pull crops. Tie vegetables in bunches. Grade, size and field pack product. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants. Equipment may include tractors, dozers, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chainsaws, bobcats, skid loaders, high lifts, and trucks or other vehicles.

Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates.

Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

Mow, cut, and weed fields. 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, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Repair fences.

Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable foot wear. Workers wearing clothing inappropriate for work will not be permitted to start work.

Outdoor work required when plants are wet, or during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary. 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. Work is done outdoors for long periods of time and requires prolonged periods of standing and/or walking, repetitive movements, and frequent bending and/or stooping. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects (product, containers) in accordance with the specified lifting requirements.

The vehicles provided to workers (van, SUVs, pick-up truck, etc.) are for multi-purpose use on an as-needed basis (e.g., driving workers from employer-provided housing directly to the farm, around the farm properties during the work day, possibly carrying equipment/supplies with them). This may require workers to operate the vehicles on public roads in order to reach the other locations (no CDL w/ passenger endorsement required). These multi-purpose vehicles have a capacity or less than 13 tons, 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 other workers or groups of workers on a regular schedule or planned basis (e.g., at housing locations or centralized pick-up points).

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of agricultural field work experience working in a diversified vegetable farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks including livestock production. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Workers with clean driving record and/or insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles.