Farm Laborer

Job description

I. S.A. Contracting Services, Inc. is a harvesting company providing labor to growers/operators for the harvesting of green tomatoes. Various duties and positions are covered by this clearance order and are listed below:

Tomato Picker: I.S.A. Contracting Services, Inc. provides labor to growers for the harvesting of green tomatoes. As farm laborers, employees must report to the designated field location and receive assignments from their field supervisor regarding where to begin picking tomatoes. Each employee is issued two 20-liter plastic buckets daily for harvesting. Employees hand, harvest tomatoes of the size, quality, and color specified by the company, placing them individually into the 20-liter buckets until full. A filled 20-liter bucket of tomatoes typically weighs up to 25 lbs. Next, the employee carries both full buckets approximately 20 feet to a nearby gondola. They hand one bucket at a time to the dumper. Once the dumper returns the empty 20-liter buckets, the employee returns to their assigned tomato plant row to resume harvesting. This process is repeated throughout the workday, with employees often harvesting between 50 and over 150 buckets of tomatoes daily.

Tomato Dumper: I.S.A. Contracting Services, Inc. provides harvesting labor to growers for green tomatoes. Farm laborers are required to report to the field location to receive daily work assignments from the field supervisor. Employees must be able to climb onto a metal dumping stand/platform, approximately 4 feet off the ground and secured to the edge of the gondola, and repeatedly grab, lift, and dump approximately 25-pound buckets of tomatoes throughout the workday. Additionally, the dumper is responsible for ensuring that the harvest crew adheres to tomato quality standards and, if necessary, for enforcing these standards among the workers. Dumpers typically repeat this process throughout the workday, potentially dumping an average of 1,800 to 2,700 buckets of tomatoes. Dumpers lift only to arm level when standing on the edge of the gondola. Tomato Dumper should have good balance and be free from motion sickness if working on the platform while it’s moving.

Tomato Puncher: I. S.A. Contracting Services, Inc. specializes in providing labor for green tomato harvesting to growers. As farm laborers, employees are required to report to the field and receive instructions from the supervisor on where to commence picking tomatoes. Once buckets are filled and transported by pickers to the designated dumping area, the puncher, stationed near the gondola, punches the tomato card using a metal puncher that requires approximately one pound of force. The puncher climbs approximately two feet onto a narrow bar situated between the tractor and gondola to punch tomato cards for pickers located on the opposite side of the gondola. Additionally, the puncher oversees quality control and assists the tractor driver by ensuring the area is clear when the tractor moves forward. This process is repeated by the puncher throughout the workday, often involving an average of 4,000 to 6,000 punches per typical workday.

Special Requirements

Workers must have 1 month of experience in agriculture and/or harvesting of fresh market tomatoes by hand, dumping tomatoes in gondolas, punching tomato cards, operation of farm equipment, or experience as utility assistant. Must be able to lift and carry up to 50lbs. Certain duties on this agricultural clearance order may require workers to lift and carry up to 100lbs, but the minimum requirement for this occupation is 50lbs.