Farmworkers

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
apples, cherries, nectarines, pears, apricots, grapes.
Plant, cultivate and harvest fruits. 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. Grade, size and field pack product. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Install, remove and repair bird netting and shade cloth. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, saws, and knives. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies.

Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, sprayers, planters, mowers, plows, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction.

The Employer attests that workers who are applicators or handlers, consistent with the tasks and tools associated with SOC Codes 45-2091 and 45-2092, including those who work on equipment that may have pesticide residue or contamination will be properly trained by their supervisor or anyone who has a valid Private Applicators license which is the standard pursuant to Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Furthermore, their supervisor will be available to ensure that these workers understand all chemical label, safety instructions, and application instructions pursuant to WSDA. Employer will pay for the cost of obtaining any necessary training (if any). All other individuals who meet the guidelines as farmworkers and hand laborers will receive appropriate Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Worker Protection Standard Training, as defined by the WSDA and the EPA, at least once every 12 months according to regulation.

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

Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Repair fences.

Planting: Propagate plants by placing buds/scions. Plant seedlings or 'liners' by hand or with mechanical planter. Clear cull stock, brush and debris. Dig holes and shovel dirt.

Tree Training: hoeing, tree painting, weed mat application. Tie/position trees and limbs, together and to trellises, using string, tape, wire or other fasteners and supports.

Install bird netting and shade cloth. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use shears, loppers and saws only on fruit trees.

Thinning: Hand thin to control the size and quality of fruit. Remove fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Must accurately identify and remove misshapen, damaged or otherwise unmarketable fruit.

Pruning: Workers will hand prune fruit trees only based on fruit variety, using ladders. Use manual pruning tools. Identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches rubbing against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots-suckers.

Use/handle ladders up to 12 ft. in length and weighing up to 40 lbs. or perform work on motorized platform.

Harvest: Spot and/or strip pick fruit based on seasonal need. Snap fruit off tree with thumb and palm of hand to avoid stem pulls, punctures, bruising, or other damage. Pick culls and peelers. Fill fruit buckets and place fruit in bins. Follow supervisor/foreman's instructions on color/size requirements. Must be able to differentiate between colors and fruit varieties accurately.

Cherries: Hand pick fruit leaving stems attached. Place harvested fruit at bottom of basket/bucket. Avoid stem pulls, punctures, bruising, or other damage.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of verifiable agricultural field work experience handling both manual and mechanized tasks. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing is required upon reasonable suspicion of use and after a worker has an accident at work.