Agricultural Equipment Operators

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
vegetables including, but not limited to, squash, green beans, soybeans and corn.
Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays):
Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, hand trucks, forklifts, or transfer augers. Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery. Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers. Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions. Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery. Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment. Maintain farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions. Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools. Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks. Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities. Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops. Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information. Walk beside or ride on planting machines while inserting plants in planter mechanisms at specified intervals. Drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers. Guide products on conveyors to regulate flow through machines, and to discard diseased or rotten products. Irrigate soil, using portable pipes or ditch systems, and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps. Drive and operate farm machinery to plant, cultivate, harvest and store grain crops. Till soil; plant and cultivate grain. Tow harvesting equipment. Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting. Set up and operate irrigation equipment. Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress. Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops. Clean work areas, and maintain grounds.

Workers must have or be able to obtain a driver's license within 30 days of hire. Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license will drive company passenger vehicles (weighing less than 26,000 lbs.), and pickup/field trucks. Workers with appropriate licenses may transport other workers to-and-from Bebow Farms, provided housing directly to worksites each day and transport workers around Bebow Farms. Property during the workday and possibly carry equipment/supplies and this may involve the worker(s) operating the vehicles across public roads in order to reach the other farm properties to perform their work. Workers are driving multi-purpose vehicles that have a weight of less than 13 tons, require a standard driver's license to operate, may be used on or off farm by the workers (e.g., drive to the grocery store, bank, etc. at their discretion). Workers are not required or expected to arrange for the routine pick-up of another worker or groups of workers on a regular schedule at other housing locations or centralized pick-up points.

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

Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of agricultural field work experience working on a farm handling both manual and mechanized tasks operating agricultural equipment/machinery, such as or similar to 200+hp agriculture tractors. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized 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 75 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing required. Workers must have or be able to obtain a drivers license within 30 days of hire.