Field Workers: Lettuce Harvest/celery Field Harvest

Job description

Rancho Nuevo Harvesting, Inc.’s (also referred to herein as “Rancho Nuevo” “Employer” or “Company”) main office is located at 1225 La Brea Ave, Santa Maria, CA 93458, (mailing address: 1225 La Brea Ave, Santa Maria, CA 93454), phone 805-347-1370. The Employer has designated this office as the Application Site.
Rancho Nuevo is a fixed site grower for this specific application as it now operates the farm through a recently amended Operating Agreement.
CA TAX ID: 01848084
Rancho Nuevo Harvesting seeks certification for 25 H-2A workers and 30 total workers. Of the 30 total workers, 5 will be domestic workers who do not require housing.

Job Duties:

Lettuce Harvest:
Field worker to harvest green leaf, red leaf, butter, iceberg, romaine, romaine hearts. Cut, bag, pack, and load fresh lettuce in the field. Cutting is done on harvesting machine by using hands and cutting knife. Using a harvesting hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee cuts the head from the roots and trims the outer leaves from the head to prepare it to be packed into a carton or tote. The process is repeated. Worker is responsible for cleaning of equipment and maintenance of yard.

Field worker to harvest bulk lettuce. Cut and core fresh iceberg lettuce in the field. Cutting and coring is done on a harvesting belt using hands and a cutting/coring knife. Using a coring knife and bending at the waist, the employee cuts the lettuce from the root, trims the outer leaves, cores the center of the lettuce with a knife and places on belt. The process is repeated, workers are responsible for cleaning of equipment.

Celery Harvest:
Field worker to harvest celery, organic and conventional. Cut, bunch, pack, and load fresh celery in the field. Cutting is done on harvesting machine by using hands and cutting knife. Using a harvesting hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee cuts the stalk from the roots and trims the outer stalks from the stalk to prepare it to be packed into a cartons, totes, or bins. The process is repeated. Worker responsible for cleaning of equipment and maintenance of yard.

Crew Lead:
Team Leaders will additionally be responsible for checking quality, filling out paperwork, and receiving order for production. May clock in other workers.

Machine set up:
Worker will check the machine for water and diesel; Put sticker on bags; Supply cartons for the day and put on the machine; Open or close machine; Put machine where crew will start; move trailer, drive tractor and caterpillar.

General Labor:
Weeding using long-handled hoes, transplanting, runner cutting, plant thinning, and ranch maintenance, pulling plastic, pulling of drip tape, cleaning of old and new vegetative growth on plant bed. Plant bed will be classified as “Medium” or “High” according to the amount of runners and new/old vegetative growth present during performing work task.

Tractor Driver:
Tractor drivers will drive and control tractors in fields.

Sanitation worker:
Cleans, pressure washes, and moves restrooms on farms/fields.

Mechanics:
On agricultural ground, Mechanics will fix tractors, cat loaders, harvest machines, lunch trailers, painting of the harvest equipment, and will perform other mechanic functions that the harvesting equipment may need. Work takes place on various farms. Mechanics must be able to lift 40 pounds and have at least 3 months of mechanic experience with diesel and gas equipment.

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications:
1 month of experience harvesting celery or lettuce is required. Specific requirements include lifting up to 30-55 pounds frequently and able to use hand tools, including cutting knives. Must be able to work under conditions where skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, grease, etc. Must be able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions, including rain, cold, high winds, etc. Work involves frequent bending and working in bent or stooped positions. Must be able to walk and stand up extensively. No smoking, alcohol, firearms in the field or residential housing.

(Continues on Addendum C)