Field Workers/van Drivers

Job description

All work is performed in the field and on the farm.

Seasonal Harvester (Romaine lettuce, Spring Mix Lettuce, Iceberg lettuce, Green Cabbage, Celery):

Cut or pack lettuce, cabbage and celery of the correct quality, size and weight for the correct packs in the field on the farm. Pack or package by hand a wide variety of produce in the correct packs in the field on the farm. This is a non-managerial position and works under the general supervision of the Harvest foreperson.

Job Duties:
• Continual vision examination of produce to determine if product is right for harvesting.
• Use hands and arms to handle the product.
• Place commodity into appropriate packing box in the field on the farm.
• Place completed packed product onto moving equipment such as conveyors in the field on the farm.
• Mark cartons by using marking tools.
• Examine and inspect containers, packaging material and product to ensure that packing specifications are met in the field on the farm.
• Harvest product by hand, and/or using a harvest knife.
• Continual bending to reach product.
• Walk throughout shift on uneven ground and in leafy rows with debris.
• Ensure that all Food Safety policies are followed.
• Ensure that all safety procedures are followed to reduce the risk of any type of injury to either the employee or others.
• Reports all safety problems, incidents and injuries to harvest foreperson immediately.
• Comply with all Company policies.

Mechanical Vegetable Harvest

Mechanical vegetable harvest workers work as members of a harvest crew.
• Under the direction of the supervisors or foreperson, a General Labor field worker walks in uneven furrows in front of the machine cleaning out beds to ensure quality of product.
• Workers stand on top of a machine and / or trailers and sort machine-harvested product for quality and debris as it falls into totes, bins, cartons, or large field trailers. Other workers may ride on trailer next to harvest machine assembling totes, bins or cartons.
• Tractor drivers and machine operators run equipment such as tractors, harvest machinery and forklifts. Other workers may receive full totes, bins, or cartons from harvest machine and stack and secure on pallets of finished product.
• Workers may stand on the platforms of trailers or harvest machines and fill up totes, cartons, or bins with harvested product. Product may be moved to a trailer and stacked before being transported out the field. Product may be sorted or graded for quality or size in field or at nearby shed before completing the harvest process. Process is repeated.

Special Requirements

Minimum of 3 months of harvest experience and/or minimum of 3 months of experience as a farm machine operator in the field is required. Specific requirements include lifting up to 50 pounds frequently and being able to use hand tools, including cutting knives.