Farmworkers

Job description

Plant, cultivate, harvest, grade, pack and load bell pepper, tomato, asparagus, strawberries, pickling cucumber, cucumber, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, specialty peppers, melons, cantaloupe, sweet corn, sweet potato, eggplant, green beans, peas, squash and zucchini by hand. Lay and/or remove plastic. Clean plastic of debris. Participate in irrigation activities. Install and take down hooped row cover. Manually pull weeds. Stake, tie, sucker, thin and prune crops, as instructed by supervisor. Remove or clean plant debris or vines from ground or trellises. Train vines or plants on strings or trellises. Use hand tools such as shovels, tampers, pruning hooks, machetes, hoes and knives. Till soil. Apply pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers to crops. Clear and maintain fields, ditches, greenhouses and work areas. Picking may involve use of a specialty knife, clipper and / or the use of mechanical agricultural equipment. Workers must select harvestable produce based on correct size, maturity and quality. Workers will not break skin, damage, drop or bruise produce, or leave any appropriate product on the plant during harvest. Clean, grade, sort, wash, label, pack and load harvested produce. Package harvested crops into bins, bags, boxes, plastic containers and crates. Apply ice to select harvested crops. Load boxes onto pallets and transport vehicles. Repair fences and farm buildings. As a minor activity, operate, repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements and equipment to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. Workers with licenses may drive the bus or other transportation vehicles to transport workers and may be offered additional hours. 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. Instructions and general supervision will be provided by the supervisors or any other designated personnel assigned to lead work groups who count and check. Daily individual work assignments crew assignments, and locations of work will be handled via your area assigned supervisor as they assess their crop and operational needs.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker’s Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time.

Workers should expect occasional periods of little or no work because of weather, crop or other conditions beyond the employer's control. These periods can occur anytime throughout the season. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on different days.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a two day introductory period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the introductory period if the worker’s performance fails to satisfy the employer’s reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable.

Special Requirements

Three months of verifiable commercial vegetable farm experience, in the previous ten years, required. Experience should include knowledge of proper techniques of pruning, staking, suckering, and tying peppers and tomatoes. Perform extensive walking, standing, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, twisting, and lifting and carrying of up to 75 lbs. Perform repetitive movements. Work may be in inclement weather including extreme heat, cold and/or rain for extensive periods of time. Must be 18 years of age or older.