Farm Workers

Job description

Perform manual labor to plant, cultivate, harvest, grade, sort and pack cucumbers, cabbage, peppers, eggplant, squash, corn, okra, cotton, green beans, watermelons, broccoli, cilantro, pickle cucumbers, tomatillos, lettuce, cauliflower, peanuts, and tomatoes by hand or machine. Pre-harvest duties include tilling soil, planting, re-planting, cultivating, watering, pruning, weeding, using shears, knives and other various cultivation tools. Apply chemicals and fertilizers. Install, maintain and operate, regulate and repair irrigation equipment. Install or remove items required in plasticulture. Install or remove stakes, wire, netting or string. Remove or clean plant debris or vines from ground or trellises. Train vines or plants on strings or trellises. Determine produce sustainability for harvest based on size, degree of maturity or market standards. Record information about crops. Harvest produce using tools such as knives, clippers and shears. Banding techniques will be included during harvest at times. Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self- propelled machinery to plow, harrow, fertilize, apply chemicals, plant, cultivate, or harvest crops. Operate, repair, and maintain farm vehicles, implements and mechanical equipment. Repair farm buildings, fences, and other structures. Grade, sort, wash, select, label or pack harvested products into bags or boxes. Crops may be harvested and field packed, or loaded and transported to the packinghouse for storage and post-harvest treatment of crops. Stack boxes onto pallets, transport vehicles or trailers. Count and check harvested products. Use hammers, wire clippers and other tools to construct trellises and fences. Clean and maintain all grounds and facilities. Regulate maintain and repair irrigation systems. Assist with Good Agricultural Practices policies.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker’s ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

Employer makes every effort to provide a safe workplace, including taking steps to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. In accordance with those efforts, all federal, state and local COVID-19 workplace rules and requirements are recognized and must be followed as a condition of employment. All employees or tentative employees traveling from outside the commuting area should have evidence of adherence to all travel requirements imposed by the United States government, including but not limited to meeting any specific COVID-19 vaccination requirements for air travel and travel from another country across a land border. After arrival, any request for an exception to any workplace safety policy must be given to the employer in writing prior to beginning work or as soon as practically possible.

Pre-hiring informational workshops for local workers are held on the first Monday of every month at the GADOL office in Moultrie at 8:00 a.m. beginning on February 7, 2022 and during the hiring period. Interested local workers are encouraged to attend. Orientation will be held on March 1, 2022 at 8:00 a.m and subsequent orientations will be held the second Monday of the month at 8 a.m. In the event that the first or second Monday falls on a holiday, workshops and orientations will be held on the following Tuesday. While the GADOL in Moultrie is closed due to COVID-19, workshops and interviews will be held via phone by appointment only.

Safety: Pesticides may be on or in plants, soil, irrigation water or can drift from nearby applications.

Special Requirements

Three months of farmwork experience required. Perform prolonged walking, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying 55 lbs. repeatedly. Work outside in inclement weather, especially extreme cold or heat (exceeding 100 degrees) and/or wet weather for extensive periods of time. Must be 18 or older. Employer is a drug free workplace. Drug testing is conducted post-hire at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process. Positive results will result in termination.