Farmworkers And Laborers

Job description

Following supervisor’ instructions, workers will carry out all common jobs, such as plant, cultivate, grow, maintain, & harvest related to a farming operation of specialty crops, including but not limited to, flowers, blackberries, strawberries, muscadines, blueberries, orchards, or row crops such as corn, soybean, and rice.
Tasks include land preparation, irrigation, applying fertilization & pesticides, mowing, pruning, training, weeding by hand and with weed trimmers or mowers, planting manufacturing and applying compost, using wire, paint brushes, hammers, stretchers; to placing, repair and maintain posts, trellises, and fences, inspect crops for damage, disease or insect infestation, or remove said plants, cleaning fields, welding, make minor repairs and perform routine maintenance on existing buildings, shade structures, high tunnels, machinery and equipment.
Workers will operate machinery, equipment, and vehicles on farm. Workers may also use tools such as but not limited to, shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, loppers, paint brushes, saws, knives, and baskets as needed.
Workers shall harvest crops into the required packaging whether it be 6 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, or 18 oz clamshell, carton box, plastic bucket, or other type of package. May harvest product seconds into plastic buckets. Harvest will be carried out per supervisor instructions to not damage the crop or surrounding plants. Harvest will be of the correct maturity and quality. Workers will clean, pack, load harvested products and perform post-harvest clean-up and other related activities. Workers may be asked to prep trailer with correct packaging and assist with scanning badges. For some crops, workers will take their packed product and have their ID badge scanned to record their individual harvest and to be inspected to ensure that the correct quality is being packed and to take corrective measures if not.
Other tasks include the loading, unloading and transport of the product from the field to the packing house, located on the farm. They may clean, maintain, and make minor repairs to packing shed, further packing and palletization of the product, labeling, cooling of the product, loading of box trucks by hand, use a forklift or pallet jack.

Workers with a clean MVR and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may be requested to operate employer-owned trucks or other multi-purpose vehicles to haul tools, supplies, crops, and transport workers (whether on or off farm) to and from the worker housing to the farm properties and occasionally around the farm properties during the workday including on public roads to reach the fields where work will be performed; and/or may transport workers to the grocery store, bank, or laundry facilities on an as needed basis. Driving does not occur on a regular schedule. No applicants or workers will be rejected for not possessing a driver’s license or who may be unwilling to drive company vehicles. Such duties are completely optional and may be declined by the worker at his or her sole discretion. The Employer can and will make alternative arrangements for the transportation of workers should the need arise.

Special Requirements

Worker must be 18 years or older and have three months experience, at least, of picking or working with specialty crops. The majority of the day is spent on ones feet and outdoors and involves exposure to the elements. Workers must be able to stand, sit, squat, kneel, crouch, bend from waist, lift and carry items up to 60 pounds in the course of performing required activities. Workers must be detail oriented, work quickly, efficiently, and have the endurance and strength to bend over for a long period of time. Hours and days of work may vary due to weather conditions including exposure to sun, wind, rain, mud, dust, heat, cold and other natural elements. Workers may be offered more than the standard hours to work on a workday. Hours of work may increase / decrease depending on crop yield, and / or weather conditions and can occur at any time during the season.