Farmworker: Diversified

Job description

Workers will perform various duties associated with planting, cultivating, harvesting, packing, weeding, irrigating, loading, unloading, and spraying crops. Crops include Radishes, Cabbage, and plant flowers.

Workers will perform various tasks involved in planting, cultivating, and harvesting employers crops according to supervisor’s instructions. Workers may till soil, plant stock and do pruning activates using a variety of non-mechanical tools. May remove blossoms to improve yield and quality. May aid in irrigation duties, may aid in minor repair of wooden fruit containers. Workers may thin and/or harvest fruit. Workers will harvest fruit according to color, size and degree of maturity as specified by supervisor and place into half bushel baskets taking the extra time, care and effort not to bruise or scar the fruit. Workers may windrow bull containers or carry full containers weighing approximately 50 lbs. to truck or trailer and stack according to supervisor’s specifications. Fruit thinners will thin fruit using hands to knock off excess fruit, spacing remaining peaches approximately one hand width apart, taking care to walk around entire tree before moving onto next. Workers will be required to stay on their assigned row. Pre-harvest duties involving grapes may include pruning, training, and trellising.

Workers will plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables. Workers will be required to remove weeds by hand or with a hoe. Workers will bend and stoop to pick vegetables according to size, color, shape and degree of maturity and place into field containers. Workers may carry full container weighing approximately fifty (50) lbs. and empty into field bin or load onto trailer. May be required to pull and discard culls as directed by supervisor. Pickers will take care not to bruise or scar produce. Pre-harvest activities may include staking, tying, transplanting, and pruning. Workers will stand on feet for long periods of time. Workers are required to work in fields when plants are wet with dew or rain. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from forty (40) to over one hundred (100) degrees.

Sanitation Requirements: For food and general personal safety purposes, all workers will be required and expected to follow common sanitary practices at all times. This is particularly critical when hand harvesting crops for human consumption. Employees are required to cleanse their hands by washing them thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before entering the fields for harvest activities or the packing facility for packing operations.

Farm Equipment Operation: Workers may be required to operate tractors and other farm equipment during daily operations, as an incidental activity. Before any worker is required to operate any farm equipment, workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the tractor before driving the tractor. Tractors should be driven in a manner to protect operator, other workers, products, trees, crops, and equipment. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination.

Forklift Operation during Packing Operations: Workers may be required to operate forklifts during packing operations as an incidental. Before any worker is required to operate a forklift, the worker will be instructed in the proper and safe operation. Workers will be required to operate forklifts according to instructions and in a manner, that protects the operator, other workers, and equipment. Repeated failure to obey operating and safety instructions may result in termination.

Special Requirements

Must have three months experience hand harvesting a perishable crop. Applicants must be able to furnish affirmative job references from recent employers operating comparable operations establishing acceptable previous experience. Must be physically able to meet and perform all job specifications stated in job order. Must be able to work in the hot humid weather for extended periods of time. Workers are subject to random drug testing at no cost to the employee. All drug testing will occur after the worker begins his or her employment and is not a part of the interview process. Failing or refusing a drug test will result in immediate termination.