Farmworkers & Laborers

Job description

Pull weeds/chop: Workers will walk along rows as specified by employer and remove weeds and grass from fields by hand or using a hoe. Plant/transplant, cultivate and harvest pepper, corn, flue-cured tobacco and sweet potato. Load and unload pepper, corn, flue-cured tobacco and sweet potato by hand. Mow grass and operate trimmer around farm buildings. Workers will perform assigned duties as instructed by their supervisor. May supervise other workers. May operate and perform minor maintenance on farm vehicles or equipment. May drive farm truck, bus, tractor, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on the farm. May drive bus or van over the road. May deliver fruits and vegetables produced on the farm (in its unmanufactured state) to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market. Though not a hiring requirement, if a worker drives a company vehicle during the period of employment then at the time of operating the company vehicle the driver must possess a valid driver’s license issued by a U.S. state or foreign equivalent and operate the company vehicle in accordance with the license restrictions and vehicle classifications applicable to that license. Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 75 lbs. to shoulder height repetitively throughout the workday and able to lift and carry 75 lbs. in field. Must not hinder another worker’s productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Requires one month verifiable prior farm worker experience in the crop activities listed. Must commit to entire anticipated period of employment. This job excludes all work inside the sweet potato packing shed.

Greenhouse Seeding: Workers will fill trays with soil and feed full trays thru seeder. Workers will then transport seeded trays to greenhouse structure and place into float bed in an orderly manner in accordance with supervisors' instructions. Extra care must be taken not to disturb, disrupt or spill the planted seeds from the styrofoam tray cells during transport from seeder to floatbed. Tobacco seeds are extremely susceptible to disease. Therefore, each employee must exercise care and remain vigilant to ensure that their hands, clothes, and shoes are kept clean before entering the greenhouse. Greenhouse workers may be required to cleanse hands by washing in milk before handling tobacco seedlings. Workers will also work in and around greenhouses after germination doing general maintenance, clipping, fertilizing and monitoring according to supervisors' instructions.

Pepper: Workers will bend and stoop to pick vegetables according to size, color, shape, and degree of maturity and place into field containers. Workers may cut developed produce from plant and place into bucket. Workers may carry full bucket containing vegetables and empty into field bin or load onto truck or trailer. May be required to pull and discard culls as directed by supervisor. Workers must take care not to bruise or scar produce. Worker will return to assigned row/area and repeat the process. Worker must pick plants clean of correct size and maturity.

Tobacco: Harvest workers will move into a row of mature tobacco plants. Each row may be as long as 1500 feet. The tobacco plant may be from 4 to 6 feet tall and spaced about 20 inches apart in each row. Starting at the bottom of the plant, the worker will bend over at the waist and pick the bottom two or three leaves from each plant. Staying bent over,

Special Requirements

Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. Job is outdoors and continues in all types of weather. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 75 lbs. to shoulder height repetitively throughout the workday and able to lift and carry 75 lbs. in field. Must not hinder another workers productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Requires one month verifiable prior farmworker experience in the crop activities listed.