General Farm Workers: Strawberries

Job description

*All packing and stacking duties will be performed in the field and on the farm*

General Farm Workers to perform the following duties:
Commodities to harvest and pack: Strawberries
Strawberry Harvester (Ground/Harvest Pro Machine): This position works under close supervision of the harvest crew leader. This position safely and efficiently harvests strawberry crop either by ground or with the assistance of a Harvest Pro machine. This position may perform other general labor work. This is a non-managerial position and works under the close supervision of the crew leader.
Essential Job Duties:
Harvests fresh, juice and / or freezer depending on grower requests.
Properly grades and sorts strawberries according to size and quality.
Packages suitable fruit in required packaging container and box.
Inspects strawberry fruit for signs of disease and insect manifestation.
Cleaning of plants by disregarding inferior strawberries onto row floor.
Reports all safety problems, incidents, and injuries to foreman immediately.
Complies with all Company Policies, including observing appropriate lunch and rest periods.
Qualifications:
Must be willing to work overtime as needed
Able to keep up at a reasonable pace with the rest of the crew
Able to read safety signs
Able to perform work up to company standards
Physical Requirements:
The employee is constantly required to stand, walk, reach, use hands/fingers to handle or feel, hear and see.
The employee is constantly required to push, pull, lift and carry from 1 1b up to 25 lbs., with occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs.
Occasional reaching above shoulder with frequent reaching below shoulder level.
The employee is in constant bending and twisting of the waist, with frequent squatting.

Working environment:
The employee is constantly required to work in outside atmospheric weather conditions, uneven ground, and noise, vibration, around hazards such as moving machine parts, equipment, wet rows, wind and dust.
The employee is occasionally required to work under cold temperatures just above freezing and heat.
The work may entail exposure to plant pollens, insects, snakes, rodents, noxious plants and or plant materials that have been treated with insect and/or disease control sprays. The Company will comply with all worker protection standards and restrictions applicable to pesticides and other chemicals. Workers are also required to comply with all applicable worker protection standards as communicated by forepersons, supervisors, and managers.
Crop Maintenance/Weeder: The Weeder is responsible for manually removing weeds, cultivating, planting, transplanting, deflowering, crop removal, shoveler, bed up labor and all other duties as assigned with all berry crops. This is a non-managerial position and may perform other general labor work, works under the close supervision of the crew leader.
Plant cleaning: weeding using long-handled hoes and by hand, pulling plastic, pulling of drip tape, plant/field maintenance, cleaning of old and new vegetative on plant bed. Plant bed will be classified as Medium or High according to the number of runners and new/old vegetative growth present during performing work tasks. Employer complies with the California health and safety rules applicable to hand weeding.
Workers may occasionally and/or sporadically perform duties associated with and directly related to the primary duties.

See Addendum C.

Special Requirements

Three months experience in berry harvest is required.
Work is performed in open fields and may involve exposure to mud, dust, wind, heat, cold, and other natural elements. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the period of employment. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the environmental and working conditions described. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in the field or residential housing. Proficiency in English or Spanish is required for training and safety purposes. (i.e. Workers must listen to, understand and follow instructions of Employer supervisors and managers.)


See Addendum C.