Farmworkers And Laborers

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated with the planting, cultivation, harvesting of various fruits and vegetables. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 50 pounds for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. This work requires adherence to important food safety and quality standard operating procedures and the ability to work quickly and consistently alongside fellow workers with a positive, professional, team based attitude and a consideration for the safety and health of fellow workers and of the consumers who will purchase and consume the crops grown, harvested, packed, and shipped from the farm.

Crops Contained in Request: Citrus (Fresh and Process).

Workers may perform the following job duties on any of the commodities listed above and various points during the duration of the contract.

Citrus Harvesting
Workers will perform assigned duties as instructed by their supervisor. Duties may vary from time to time. Following the supervisors instructions, the worker will place a picking sack over their shoulder and carry a 18’ to 20’ ladder from the field truck to the particular area of the grove to be harvested. The picking sack is a canvas bah equipped with a shoulder strap for support, an opening for the insertion of fruit, and an opening to remove fruit. A fully loaded sack weighs between 80 and 100 pounds, depending on the size, condition and variety of fruit. Worker positions ladder against the tree and within reach of the fruit in a leaning position, taking care not to break limbs, damage the tree, know off fruit, or interfere with other workers, in a secure position to prevent slipping or falling and possible injury to themselves or other workers. Workers will remove fruit from the tree and place into pick sack. When pick sack is full, worker will take the pick sack to the fruit tub located in the grove and drop fruit from pick sack into tub. In order to perform this kind of work, worker must be able to work outside for at least 6 hours per day in all kinds of weather and be in possession of the requisite physical strength and endurance to repeat the picking process rapidly, working quickly and skillfully with their hands, and carrying a large number of sacks of fruit from the area in which the fruit is being harvested to the location of the tub.

Orchard Maintenance
Workers involved in orchard maintenance may be required to hoe trees, girdle, spread fertilizer, pick up roots and limbs, strip suckers or unwanted growth from trees, dig root suckers, knock fruit off trees, remove vines, lay irrigation pipe, repair and maintain drip system, drill holes in the tree trunk to insert nutrients, and strap and tie fruit trees. Employer will provide all equipment. Instruction will be given for each task and expectations will be communicated to workers. The expectations for these duties will change based on crop and weather conditions.

Workers will be required to pick up and return ladders to the designated location as provided by the grower at the end of each workday or as directed by the grower or designated supervisor. BROKEN LADDERS SHOULD NOT BE USED, NOTIFY SUPERVISOR IMMEDIATELY IF A LADDER IS BROKEN.

General Clean-up of Grove Property and Housing for Harvesting Workers
Workers on physical work restrictions or when harvesting work is not available may be required to perform miscellaneous clean-up work on grove property, on structures utilized in the grove operation, and on housing for harvesting workers. Such clean-up activities including the sprouting, pruning, and painting of trees; debris, weed, and vine removal; irrigation repair; housing and structure cleaning and repair; and general grove clean-up as required. Workers will be paid the highest of the adverse effect wage rate, the prevailing wage rate, or the applicable minimum wage rate for time spent performing such clean-up work.

Special Requirements

The employer may conduct drug testing post-employment and at the employer's expense.

The employer may conduct criminal background checks post-employment and at the employer's expense.