Farm Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
organic and conventional hops, organic blueberries.
This job requires a minimum of three months of prior cultivation/harvest experience in commercial blueberry, hops, fruit, vegetable, or orchard production. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency.

General

Instructions and overall supervision and direction of workers will be provided by a company supervisor. Workers hired pursuant to this labor certification must be able to comprehend and follow instructions of a company supervisor and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers will be expected to perform basic duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision.

Work assignments will be made at the sole discretion of the employer conditional on unforeseen circumstances such as weather or other unscheduled/unexpected interruptions in regular work. Workers must perform the assigned work and may not perform duties not provided in this application, or work in areas not assigned without the specific authorization of the foreman or crew boss. Workers will be expected to perform any of the listed duties as assigned by his/her supervisor.

Workers will be required to attend an orientation on workplace rules, policies and safety information prior to beginning work on or after the date of need.

Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, insect spray, related chemicals, etc. may affect workers' ability to perform the job. Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations. Work is to be done for long periods of time. Temperatures may range from 40 to 105 F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations.

Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodation. Workers must obey all safety rules and basic instructions and be able to recognize, understand and comply with safety, pesticide warning/re-entry and other essential postings.

The job requires regular standing and walking. Workers are frequently required to use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and climb or balance. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl under trellis wires. Workers must be able to lift/carry up to 50 lbs. throughout the course of the day.

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. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination

Blueberries

Weeding: Weeding blueberries requires a large amount of bending and stooping. Workers will manually remove weeds around the base of the blueberry plant and at the base of the weed mat. Workers will only use tools for weed removal that are provided by employer.

Hops

Planting Hop Plant Pots in Field: Workers will work in teams. Each team will have members that complete the following jobs:
1. Dig holes for plants. Soil will be tilled prior to digging to minimize difficulty. Hole will be approximately two shovel scoops, or eight inches deep.
2. Set out trays filled with potted plants.
3. Arrange two pots per hole.
4. Place pots in pre-dug hole and cover with soil.
5. Pick up pots from ground and transport back to farm.

Moving Drip Tubing- Employees will be asked to move the drip tubing to, or from the plant based on the needs of the irrigation schedule.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of three months of prior cultivation/harvest experience in commercial blueberry, hops, fruit, vegetable, or orchard production. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work 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 drug testing is required upon reasonable suspicion of use and after a worker has an accident at work.