Tobacco Farm Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
tobacco, hay/straw.
Work in fields and barns/curing structures performing manual and machine tasks associated with tobacco and hay/straw production. Plant, cultivate and harvest tobacco. ‘Set up' plants after storms. Chop and top tobacco plants. Cut and lay plants on ground, pick up plants (2-3 each), hand plants to spearer, spear plants onto lath, load into wagon. Pass lath progressively upward in barn and hang lath onto poles, standing at considerable height. Tend charcoal/gas fires. After curing, take down tobacco and strip/bundle leaves for market. Take care to prevent damaging plants at all stages to ensure wrapper-quality product.
Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates. 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, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction.
Clear debris from field and clean/maintain farm buildings, structures, equipment, and work areas. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Build/repair fences. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Bale, stack and load hay.
Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles.
Work is done in the field and barns/curing structures for long periods of time. Workers may assist in handling product weighing up to 50 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. Workers must work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours can range from 10 to over 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job.
Work requires working on rails in barns/curing structures, which are 48 inches apart and from 6 feet to 20 feet above the ground.
Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a five-day trial period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the trial period if the worker's performance fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of one month of verifiable prior experience working on a tobacco farm handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 50 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire upon suspicion drug testing required.