Crew Leader/farmworker

Job description

Crops/Commodities: nursery stock.
First-line supervision and coordination of agricultural workers. Under the direction of farm management, assign tasks and monitor crop production operations. Train workers in techniques such as planting, cultivating, or harvesting and in use of safety measures. Train workers in safe equipment operation. Take directions from managers on work schedules, production requirements, and conditions of equipment and supplies. Maintain details of personnel actions. Operate employer's electronic time keeping system. First-line supervisors do not have direct hiring or firing authority, but may be asked by farm management to give warnings or take disciplinary action against works for safety or work rule violations.

Work in greenhouse facility to plant, cultivate, harvest, transplant, spray, weed, fertilize trim, and water plants, using hand tools and gardening tools. Other activities include, but are not limited to, shoveling, hoeing, ground preparation, lifting, carrying, loading/unloading plant supplies and other manual tasks. Clear debris from field and clean/maintain greenhouse buildings, structures, equipment, and work areas. Assist with greenhouse maintenance and repairs. Worker will also apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, and other plant related treatments at the correct time depending on plant type, growth, climate, and crop conditions. Assist in shading and/or blackout covering of plants.

Prepare soil for planting. Plant, cultivate, and maintain nursery stock and/or bedding plants in condition for shipping and sale to customers. Harvest, pack, label, tag, hanger, transplant, pot, dig, store and pull/select plants by variety. Take cutting according to specifications. Stick cuttings by hand and transplant liners by hand or mechanical planter. Clean trays and pots. Make flats by placing inserts or pots into trays or saucers into pots and placing into soil machinery. Stick plant cutting into medium. Run a plant fixer removing dead/immature plants. Perform cleaning and sanitation in production areas as required. Load/unload carts with plants and move to designated locations. Perform general plant maintenance. Prune, trim, space, transplant, and cull plants to ensure availability of marketable products. Irrigate and apply fertilizer. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig, count, grade, and inventory plants. Prepare plants for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary. Dig plants. Workers must understand greenhouse quality control standards and have working knowledge of production procedures. Must harvest crops according to specific standards. Plants must be handled carefully to prevent/avoid damage.

Load and unload plants and supplies from trucks. Lift, carry and organize orders or products for sale. Monitor crops to determine if it is necessary to irrigate plants. Measure EC and Ph measurements of soil to help determine fertility. Assist in making spray applications to control insect and diseases. Change sticky cards to monitor insect populations in greenhouse. Record insect counts and scouting records. Assist in measuring crops to determine actions necessary to hit target sale heights of crops. Perform routine checks on growing areas and take notes of concerns and report to assistant grower. Assist or direct crews on plant maintenance tasks. Assist in maintaining a clean greenhouse appearance. Assist with monitoring greenhouse temperatures and humidity levels. Assist with fertilizer and making sure proper feed is being applied through irrigation.

Pick, move, and lay down plants for orders. Lift, carry and pack orders or product. Load and unloads plants and supplies from trucks. Remove and apply shade tarps to greenhouses. Operate tractors, plant fixer machine and other machinery and equipment to fertilize, cultivate, harvest, de-leaf, and spray plants.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 6 months of agricultural experience working in a greenhouse overseeing crews handling mechanized and manual tasks. Crew supervisors are responsible for overseeing that farmworkers perform manual tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 50 lbs. Employer-paid pre-employment and post-hire drug testing required. Criminal background check required. Workers must have either a U.S. CDL license with a Class B and Passenger Endorsement or a Mexican CDL - Digital Mexican License with A and B Endorsements. Must be eligible to apply for a Farm Labor Contractor Employee certificate within 30 days of hire.