Farm Worker

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated with the planting, cultivation, harvesting of tobacco, fruits and vegetables. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 70 pounds for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. It also includes making important decisions based on size, coloring, and ripeness according to prescribed standards. This work requires adherence to important food safety and quality standard operating procedures and the ability to work quickly and consistently alongside fellow workers with a positive, professional, team based attitude and a consideration for the safety and health of fellow workers and of the consumers who will purchase and consume the fresh produce grown, harvested, packed, and shipped from the farm.

Flue Cured Tobacco: Farm work primarily includes the transplanting, planting, cultivating, harvesting, loading, and unloading of tobacco; the pruning and upkeep of tobacco that includes topping and suckering; deploying, maintaining, and repairing field irrigation components; general field and crop care; and farm, field and tobacco barn sanitation and maintenance. Workers will transplant directly from greenhouse to the fields and assist to cultivate fields, prepare rows for planting, plant, fertilize crop, and maintain drainage ditches. Workers will keep fields free of grass and weeds by hoeing. Workers will be given instructions and a demonstration on proper pruning by breaking the suckers by hand at the proper height. When plants have reached maturity the workers will harvest leaves for curing by loading green leaves into containers to be transported to barn site. At the barn site the workers will load all of the leaves into the barns to be cured, unload the dry leaves, monitor conveyor belt; bales of tobacco weighing between 650-850 lbs will be loaded. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time.

Hay: Moving and stacking hay. Worker must make sure that the surface of the cut fodder has dried. Using a side-delivery rake, the worker will then turn the windrows over allowing the hay to dry completely. The worker will inspect the hay for no other foliage. Dried hay may be stored in stacks or in bales. A truck or trailer will be driven between the windrows, and will be used to gather the fodder for stacking. The workers will fork the hay onto the trailer. Ropes should be laid on the trailer bed before any hay is loaded, in order to unload the hay quickly.

Soybeans/Corn: Workers will be responsible for weeding by hand and hoe while keeping fields clear. Workers must use care when performing their farm work duties and exercise consciousness to not damage or bruise the crop. Workers must adhere to all safety rules as instructed by their supervisors and all farm work
operations must meet the standards and specifications given by the employer.