Agriculture Equipment Operators

Job description

Operate tractors and tractor drawn machinery to do tasks such as spraying (Insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, fertilizer),Tilling soil, Hauling stone and roots, transporting irrigation pipes, transplanting trees, installing drainage tile, mowing, cultivating, laying reflective materials, hauling apple bins, stacking apple bins, hauling tree bins, installing fencing, pounding trellis poles, cleaning ditches, plant grass seed, spread fertilizer. Must be able to check over Equipment and preform routine Mainetnence. Will notify management right away of any issues with the machinery or Equipment. Must operate Equipment in a manner that protects the operator, visitors, other employees, crops, trees, facilities and equipment.

Orchard work will include planting tree, pruning, building trellis, tree training, hand thinning, picking up stones and roots, building fences, repairing bins, cleaning Equipment, cleaning barns, summer pruning, laying reflective material, harvesting apples, trimming root suckers.

Nursery work will include picking up stones and roots, building fences, repairing bins, cleaning Equipment and barns, planting, cutting tops, budding, tying, grafting, suckering, side shooting, staking, taping, counting, stripping leaves, digging trees, packing trees, grading trees, shipping trees, painting tree codes.

Workers will be expected to be able to operate self propelled working platforms in both the nursery and orchard, with or without direction, in a manner that protects the operator, visitors, other employees, crops, trees, facilities and equipment. Operate trucks or multi-purpose vehicles to transport workers from housing or main buildings to farm properties; haul tools, supplies, crops, transport workers from place to place around the farm properties during the workday (including on public roads to reach fields and orchards) Failure to comply with operating and safety standards may result in termination.

All fruit is to be handled with care to avoid bruising. Apples injured by bruising during picking shall not exceed 0 percent (WNY) for fresh and 0 percent (WNY) for processing. Productivity must be at least 6 bins (120 bushels) fresh market and or 8 bins (160 bushels) processing fruit per day. Workers will be working in groups of up to 8 workers per self-propelled work platform. Working in nursery all small trees should be handled with care to not damage the trees. When budding/tying trees you are expected to make a minimum of 135 trees per hour, when grafting/tying trees you are expected to make 75 trees per hour. Workers are expected to work at least the number of days and hours specified.

Workers will be supervised by one or multiple supervisors. Their quality of work will be inspected frequently to maintain the upmost quality required by the employer. Work quality will be tracked during all aspects of the job duties.

Depending on weather, crop or other conditions, workers may be requested, not required, to work up to seven days per week, and up to 12 hours per day. Lunch is taken at the job site.

Employer will furnish to workers, without cost, all tools and equipment required in the
performance of the duties assigned. Workers should report for work with their own clothing, which includes raincoat, insulated coat, boots, gloves, eye protection. Clothing is not a tool to do the job. Field temperatures may range from 0 to 90+ degrees (with possible wet morning conditions and possible snow and rain). Workers referred to against this order must have a minimum of 3 month verifiable experience in performing tasks described in the order. Workers must be able to understand and communicate in basic English or Creole.

Special Requirements

3 months verifiable experience doing all or the majority of tasks listed in the job duties. Must have experience and comfortable with driving tractors/tractor drawn machinery. Workers will be required to handle and apply pesticides and fertilizers. Workers handling materials will be trained and given proper protective equipment. Must be able to work in field temperatures ranging from 0 to 90+ degrees in both snow and rain. Be able to lift 60 lbs for long periods of the day. Frequent pushing, pulling, sitting, walking, stooping, bending over and repetitive movements will be required. Must be able to work on and operate self propelled machinery. Be able to climb a ladder. Drug screen will be conducted after hire at employers expense. Must be able to work under minimal supervision. Saturday work required. Required to be able to communicate in English or Haitian Creole.