Crew Supervisor

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
apples, cherries, grapes, apricots, nectarines and pears.
This job is for working orchard/farm crew supervisors. Workers must possess ability to recognize species and varieties of plant stock, ability to read and understand signs, labels, and to understand written and oral work orders. Work involves serving as crew supervisor for farmworkers. Workers will be required to train new workers. Workers will assist the orchard/farm manager/management in ensuring that the work performed and the production procedures are accomplished in accordance with the established procedures and guidelines. Worker must be able to communicate with the orchard/farm manager/management concerning scheduling tasks, performance, training, program design, and work flow. Workers may be required to help with timekeeping and recordkeeping. Workers may be required to keep an inventory of all orchard stock, provide reports to orchard/farm manager/management concerning review of the technical work performed by subordinates, supplies, losses and damages. Employees perform a wide variety of tasks related to the planting, cultivating and harvesting or orchard crops. Workers will maintain tool inventories, maintain orchard/farm property and perform other duties assigned by employer.

Plant, cultivate and harvest apples, cherries, grapes, apricots, nectarines and pears. Spread plastic or other ground covering. Clean plastic by hand from ground upon removal. Till soil. Weed and thin plants. Transplant plants by hand. Stake/tie plants, trellis/prune plants, and set poles and wires for vine plants. Take care to prevent damaging produce and plants. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, forklifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction. Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions. Clear debris from field and clean/maintain farm buildings, structures, equipment, and work areas. Perform maintenance activities including but not limited to weed control and trellis installation and repair. Put out empty bins. Build/place bands. Cut cardboard. Place pheromones.

Planting: Propagate plants by grafting, placing buds/scions. Plant seedlings or 'liners' by hand or with mechanical planter. Clear cull stock, brush and debris. Dig holes and shovel dirt.

Tree Training: hoeing, tree painting, weed mat application. Tie/position trees and limbs, together and to trellises, using string, tape, wire or other fasteners and supports.

Thinning: Hand thin to control the size and quality of fruit. Remove fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. Must accurately identify and remove misshapen, damaged or otherwise unmarketable fruit.

Pruning: Hand pruning based on fruit variety. Use manual and mechanized pruning tools and equipment. Identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches rubbing against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots-suckers and selectively remove diseased limbs and branches due to fire blight and/or bacterial canker.

Use/handle ladders up to 10 ft. in length and weighing up to 26 lbs. or perform work on motorized platform.

Harvest Apples, Apricots, Nectarines & Pears: Spot and/or strip pick fruit based on seasonal need.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 12 months of verifiable agricultural employment experience working in an orchard overseeing crews handling both manual and mechanized tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Crew supervisors are responsible for overseeing that farmworkers perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire random, upon suspicion, and post-accident drug and/or alcohol testing required, (if there is reason to believe the accident was caused by drugs and /or alcohol). Workers travelling internationally will need to secure a negative COVID test result both prior to their departure and upon arrival.