Strawberry Ground & Machine Harvest (fresh, Cannery, Juice)

Job description

H-2A and corresponding domestic workers must be available to perform each of the following job activities in connection with the harvesting and farming operations:

Strawberry Ground & Machine Harvest (Fresh, Cannery, Juice), General Labor (road cutting, planting, runner cutting, weeding), Indirect Labor, prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment, General Farm Labor / General Ranch Maintenance, Forklift Driver, Tractor Driver to perform the following duties:

Work with strawberries: Workers will perform duties associated with and directly related to strawberry harvest work, including but not limited to picking and packing strawberries in field for fresh market and freezing/juicing; road cutting, planting, runner cutting, weeding (long-handled hoe); Distinguish quality and ripeness; Pick, and place in tray/packing containers in field. Pickers will work on a strawberry picker machine to aid harvest; working in rows, the worker bends over and picks strawberries with hands; places the strawberries in a box and stacks the full boxes on the machine floor, the top of the machine carries the empty boxes; the worker, therefore, does not carry the full boxes to the end of the row. Strawberry ground/table crews will not use a machine aid; working in rows, the worker bends over and picks strawberries with hands; places the strawberries in a box; walks and carries the box with strawberries to the packing table located at the end of the row in the field. The worker returns to the row to continue ground harvest. Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment.

Ground Harvest (strawberry): Working in rows, the worker bends over and picks strawberries with hands, places the strawberries in a box, walks and carries the box with strawberries to the packing table located at the end of the row in the field, presents their box to quality control for inspection. After passing the quality check, they palletize the box, grab an empty box along with necessary clamshells and returns to the row to continue ground harvest. Worker may also perform harvest for cannery: picking berries and running the green ends through a blade which cuts the calix off of the berry. Berries are then put into an RPC and presented to the checker for inspection in same fashion as fresh harvest.

Machine Harvest (strawberry): Workers will perform duties associated with and directly related to berry harvest work, including but not limited to picking and packing berries in the field for fresh market and freezing/juicing; distinguish quality and ripeness; pick and place in tray/packing containers in the field. Pickers will work on berry picker machine to aid harvest: working in rows, worker bends over and picks berries with hands; places berries in clamshell and stacks full boxes on machine floor. Empty boxes are retrieved from top of machine. The machine will transport filled boxes to the end of the row - workers using machine aid do not carry full boxes to the end of rows. Workers may be required to adjust to Ground Harvest while machine is turning of when machine is being repaired for breakdown/maintenance. Worker may also perform harvest for cannery: picking berries and running the green ends through a blade which cuts the calix off of the berry. Berries are then put into an RPC and presented to the checker for inspection in same fashion as fresh harvest.

Special Requirements

Requirements: 2-months experience harvesting crops to avoid crop damage and personal injury. Written verification of experience is required. Cannot be color blind due to the need to distinguish colors of the product. Must be able to use shears, clippers and other agricultural tools (i.e., hand saw (can be powered by gas)); no smoking, illegal drugs, alcohol, or weapons of any sort in the housing or work fields. Worker safety on the job and in employer-provided housing is our top priority. Workers may not possess, consume, or be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, or other controlled substances at the worksite or in the employer-provided housing. Fighting, including but not limited to, verbal, physical, or through social media or texts, and any threats or act of violence, and/or disruptive behavior against another individual or against property will not be tolerated, particularly acts of violence committed while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.