Farmworker And Laborers, Crop

Job description

Work under this contract will consist of thinning, weeding (using a long-handled hoe) and hoeing fields and harvesting various rows of crop vegetables such as garlic.

Work may be done on the ground and/or with the use of a harvesting machine where workers may pack the cartons while walking behind or mounted on the machine. Some workers may carry and assemble empty boxes.
Packing line workers: sort produce from conveyor belt for proper sorting while in the fields (but not pack in retail boxes).
Machine/equipment operator: able to operate machinery including tractors as directed and trained by supervisory personnel.
Forklift operator: single/double, individuals should be able to operate a forklift to load pallets of packed product into refrigerated trucks as directed and trained by supervisory personnel.
Thinning: Workers walk in uneven furrows. Under the direction of the field supervisor, field workers look for the specified gap between seeds, and using a long-handled hoe thins out any excess crop/seeds and/or weed on the seed line and leave the desired product and gap on the field. The worker cleans the lot for any unwanted weed on the beds and seed lines and takes it out of the field as instructed by the field supervisor.
Garlic topping/ hand harvest: This job requires the employee to top garlic in an open field on hands and knees with company provided shears. Topping garlic is a process by which the garlic bulb roots and stems are cut with shears, placed in a bucket then dumped into a bin for processing. Employees must handle garlic bulbs with caution to avoid damage. Employees will need to ensure a minimal amount of dirt, roots and trash are not placed in buckets. Employees must be able to handle pulled garlic on hands and knees; separate, pull, grasp, cut, clip, and lift buckets to the bin; safely walk on uneven ground in different parts of the field to perform the work.
Garlic windrowing: This job requires the employee to work in an open field on hands and knees by pulling garlic and placing it on the ground. Windrowing garlic is a process in which the garlic is laid on the windrow covered with garlic stems on top of each other. Employees will need to ensure that pulled garlic is completely separated, shaken to remove dirt, and placed on a windrow/ furrow covered with garlic stems to avoid sun damage.
Employees must be able to pull up long leaves on hands and knees; separate, lift and grasp; work and reach garlic moving up to 40 beds; safely walk on uneven ground in different parts of the fields to perform the work.
Please see Addendum C

Special Requirements

Variable weather conditions. All work must be performed in a manner that exhibits Generally Accepted Practices (GAP) and the utmost food safety at all times.
Requires 1 month of experience in harvesting row crop vegetables to avoid crop damage and personal injury. Irrigating crops, setting and removing sprinklers, running wheel lines, driving equipment, operating pivots, flood irrigating, moving portable sprinklers, and installing drip tape. Verifiable work experience is required.
Please see Addendum C