Farm Worker/laborer

Job description

Workers will be required to perform a variety of duties related to the production of row crops (hay/straw, corn, beans, wheat, alfalfa, and barley) and tobacco, and livestock.

Diversified crops: corn, beans, wheat, alfalfa and barley
• Fill planters with seed from bags by hand.
• Use equipment to plant seeds.
• Load and unload seed bags from trucks.
• Transport harvested crops for storage.
• Clean and prepare equipment and tools.
• Prepare fields for next crop.

Diversified crops: hay/straw
• Clip and mow hay fields.
• Use equipment to rake and bale hay.
• Pick up bales and place on wagons or trucks.
• Place bales in sheds and barns for storage.
• Clean and prepare fields for next crop.
• Cultivate and seed fields for next crop.
• Move rolled hay with equipment to storage or shipping locations.

Tobacco
• Participate in a safety meeting and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training.
• Transport transplants to the field.
• Prepare soil for tobacco transplanting.
• Maintain and service tobacco transplanting equipment.
• Transplant tobacco and monitor plant spacing and depth.
• Replace any missing or problem tobacco transplants.
• Prepare, maintain and operate cultivation equipment.
• Manually hoe tobacco ground of any grass or broad leaf weeds.
• Top tobacco at proper leaf count.
• Apply sucker control material.
• Maintain and operate irrigation equipment.
• Train for safety and harvest of tobacco.
• Cut tobacco and put it on sticks, careful not to break or sun burn tobacco.
• Load tobacco onto outside frame and cover with shade cloth.
• Load tobacco onto trailers for transport to tobacco curing barns.
• House tobacco in curing barns with correct stick spacing.
• Remove tobacco from curing barns 45 to 80 days after housing. Tobacco must be in cure or correct moisture content and inspected for proper curing.
• Load and transport tobacco to tobacco processing facility.
• Remove tobacco leaves from tobacco stalks into multiple grades.
• Place tobacco leaves in baling machine and load to 650lbs.
• Operate baling machine and tow motors. Bales are loaded on van trailers for delivering to tobacco companies or stored for future delivery dates.
• Clean and repair barns and equipment for next growing season.

Livestock:
• Apply bedding for livestock
• Vaccinate cattle
• Dehorn calves
• Transporting livestock
• Prepare feed for animals
• Remove waste from housing barns
• Repair fencing
• Feeding cattle
• Animal husbandry (Day-to-day care of livestock)

Alternative Work:
• This could include workers preparing barns, preparing land for planting, draining fields, maintenance of tools and equipment, and other work that is directly related to growing crop and activities for which the worker was hired. Such work will be offered when climate or crop conditions preclude working in the primary activities listed above.

Special Requirements

No previous experience is required. However, workers must be able to lift at least 60 but up to 80 lbs. up to 4 ft. for extended periods. Cannot be color blind due to the need to distinguish colors of crops, must be able to use both hands, able to use shears and other agricultural tools. No smoking, illegal drugs, alcohol, or weapons of any sort are allowed in the dormitories or work fields. Workers must be able to physically perform the work stated herein.

Work is performed outdoors in open fields and can involve exposure to sun, wind, mud, dust, heat, cold and other elements of the normal field environment. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees F to over 100 degrees F during the period of employment. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the work and working conditions described.

See Addendum C.