Farm Workers

Job description

Plant, transplant, cultivate, harvest, grade, and pack blueberries by hand.

Pre-harvest activities for blueberries may include staking, tying, planting, transplanting, and pruning. Remove weeds from around the plants and between the rows. Walk through assigned rows while bending and reaching to pick ripe fruit by hand without bruising or damaging the fruit or plant. Pick only fully ripe fruit; discard any deformed, decayed, or undersized blueberries according to the supervisor’s instructions. Carefully remove any undesirable fruit from the plant that could later cause fungi or disease to attack the bush.

Workers will grade and pack blueberries according to the supervisor’s instructions in the field or packing area. All grading and packing activities will be performed at the fixed-site agricultural business listed in this application and will occur within the same place of employment as identified in Section C and Addendum B of Form ETA-790A. No off-site packing or processing will occur. Grade product by size, weight, color, or condition. Discard inferior or defective product or foreign matter. Place acceptable product in specified containers. Assemble boxes, cartons, and containers using hand tools. Stack boxes onto pallets, transport vehicles, or trailers. Count, load, and unload product and/or materials. Clean and maintain containers, materials, supplies, and work areas. Clean around the farm and buildings, including pulling weeds and raking. Prune and thin bushes according to the supervisor’s instructions.

Workers will participate in irrigation activities, including installing, setting up, and operating irrigation equipment. Workers may lay irrigation pipes, dig ditches, and remove or install plastic. Workers will operate, repair, clean, and maintain farm equipment and vehicles..

Special Requirements

Two months verifiable farm work experience required. Work in extremely hot, cold and/or wet conditions. Walk, bend, sit, reach, stoop, stand, push/pull, perform repetitive movements, and lift and carry 50 pounds. Drug testing is conducted post-hire at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process. Any employee who declines to take or fails this drug test will be terminated and paid for all hours worked, if any.