Farmworkers And Laborers Crops

Job description

Workers will perform assigned duties as described in this clearance order and as instructed by their supervisors.
Citrus Harvesting: Harvesting citrus fruit by hand under supervisor’s instructions. The worker will place a picking sack over their shoulder and carry and position an approximately 18- to 20-foot harvesting ladder from the field truck to the particular area of the grove to be harvested. The picking sack is a canvas bag equipped with a shoulder strap for support, an opening for the insertion of fruit, and an opening to remove fruit. A fully loaded picking sack may weigh approximately 80 to 100 pounds depending on fruit variety, size, and condition. Worker will position the ladder against the tree and within reach of the fruit in a secure, leaning position, taking care not to break limbs, damage the tree, knock off fruit, or interfere with other workers, ensuring a secure position to prevent slipping or falling. Worker will remove fruit from the tree by hand and place it into the picking sack. When the picking sack is full, the worker will transport the full sack to the designated fruit tub or bin.
Planting Citrus Trees: By hand under supervisor’s instructions, planting a tree at a tree space where a tree has been removed (resetting). The worker will clear weeds if needed within a 3-foot square area of the removed tree space in line with the other trees in the row. Worker will dig a hole of sufficient size to accommodate the root ball in accordance with supervisor instructions. Soil removed from the hole must be placed evenly around the perimeter. Worker will evenly sprinkle 1 pound of young tree fertilizer on the soil around the hole, remove the young tree from the citrus pot over the hole, and place the tree in the hole at ground level so the potting mix is even with the surrounding ground. Worker will use their hands to pack the soil mixed with fertilizer firmly around the tree, water the tree roots with 1 gallon or more of water, and place additional soil around the tree roots after watering.

Worker will place a notched plastic pot around the newly planted tree to serve as a sprout inhibitor and tree protector. Worker will properly place the micro-sprinkler between the newly planted trees in the reset space. Workers are expected to follow the employer's planting instructions and perform the work carefully to ensure proper placement of each tree.
General Farm Maintenance and Other Agricultural Activities: When primary planting or harvesting work is temporarily unavailable due to weather conditions, crop conditions, operational needs, or other lawful business reasons, workers may perform agricultural work that is incidental to and in conjunction with the primary duties listed in this job order. These duties will not replace or substantially reduce the availability of primary agricultural work. Incidental duties may include general manual cleanup of worksites and agricultural structures; weeding, trimming, digging, cutting, topping, and removing weeds, vines, debris, and trash from fields and fence lines by hand or with basic hand tools; and the routine manual installation, repositioning, flushing, connecting, disconnecting, and removal of plastic mulch, irrigation drip tape, and micro-jets under supervisor direction. Field sanitation duties may include cleaning, disinfecting, and performing routine upkeep of harvest buckets, bins, trailers, hand tools, and similar agricultural equipment. Workers may also assist with washing agricultural equipment, harvest trailers, bins, and employer-owned farm vehicles used in agricultural operations.

Special Requirements

This type of work, involves working conditions that require tremendous stamina, a high level of physical activity in cold or extremely hot conditions in direct sunlight and in adverse weather such as rain. The work requires a high level of physical conditioning.