Farmworker: Diversified

Job description

Worker must possess the physical strength and endurance (ability to continue or last) to repeat the harvest process though out the workday, working quickly and skillfully to perform activities assigned during that activity. Workers may not leave trash, or other discarded items in work areas or vehicles but must dispose of such items in provided receptacles. Workers must wash hands with soap and water after all bathroom and meal breaks. Allergies to varieties of ragweed, goldenrod, insecticides, related agricultural chemicals, etc., may affect worker’s ability to perform the work described herein.
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. All workers must report all injuries and illnesses to their employer. As well any communicable disease such as but not limited to diarrhea, or any other infectious disease or illness. Workers shall report immediately any cuts or abrasions that cause open bleeding.

Perform all tasks involved in the growing and harvesting of crops. This includes sweet potatoes, bedding, cutting slips, transplanting slips, pulling and/or chopping weeds and harvesting with the use of mechanical harvesting equipment, field grading sweet potatoes. This also includes for other row crops (soybeans, milo, corn, cotton, and wheat) pulling and/or chopping weeds. Workers must notify supervisor/employer of any material issues. Workers must report any safety and/or food violations to their supervisor immediately.

Field Work: Workers will roll out and remove plastic on sweet potato beds. Roll out cloth and remove cloth from sweet potato beds. Workers will cut sweet potato slips, stack slips into cartons and load cartons onto a truck. Workers will use mechanical sweet potato harvesting equipment to harvest sweet potatoes.

Workers will work in all duties involved in planting, growing and harvest sweep potatoes. Workers will plant, cultivate, and harvest sweet potatoes. Workers will cut planting slips, and place in container according to instructions. Workers will use care when working with potato knife. Workers will walk along row that have been previously plowed. Workers will drip potato slips into ground and cover back up with dirt. Workers will remove weeds manual either by hand or with a hoe. Workers will stoop, bend, and kneel to pick up sweet potatoes using hands and fingers to dig out exposed potatoes. Workers may grade in the field separating #1’s and #2’s into separate 5/8 field hampers. Canners, when harvested will be placed into a separate bin. Damaged and diseased potatoes will not be harvested. Full hampers weighting up to 35 lbs. will be carried to ruck row to be loaded into truck or trailer. Workers will be required to stay on their assigned row. Workers may also be required to wash the sweet potatoes and get the ready for sale.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3-months experience working in sweet potatoes and soybeans. Applicants must be able to furnish affirmative job references from recent employers. 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.