Farm Laborer

Job description

The farm work position includes duties associated with the grading and packing of onions, watermelons, garlic. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 60 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.

Onions: Grading will be done by working carefully removing any leaves and defective pieces as defined by grading supervisor. They will be responsible for sorting and discarding of poor quality, rotting, and/or over-ripened produce. Workers will gently load the good quality produce into containers, taking care to avoid damage or bruising.

Packing Operation:
Grading: working carefully remove any debris and defective fruit as defined by grading supervisor as fruit moves across grading tables. Fruit must be handled carefully to avoid bruises or fingernail cuts. Fillers: workers box the graded fruit in appropriate containers by attending automatic filler or by hand as necessary according to packing instructions disclosed by the supervisor. Special Packaging: workers may be required to custom fill trays and marketing gift packs according to supervisor's instructions. Stacking Filled boxes and cartons are stacked carefully by prescribed pattern and height onto pallets and secured by netting or tape. Some filled boxes weighing up to 60 pounds must be lifted over head for finishing a pallet prescribed load. Duties include operating fork lift and trucks, dump operators, bin and pallet repair, and clean up. Supervisors will explain and demonstrate packing requirements to all workers at the start of the season and as needed thereafter to ensure quality standards. Bruised or damaged fruit will be noted by supervisor(s) in a post-inspection quality report.

Field Maintenance: Workers will be responsible for general field maintenance. Duties include pulling weeds and removing plastic. Workers involved in field maintenance may be required to operate sprayers, lay irrigation pipe, repair and maintain drip system, use hand sprayers. All required personal protective equipment issued new on a daily basis.

Farm Vehicle & Equipment Operation: Workers might be required to operate farm vehicles and equipment such as trucks, forklift, tractor, and sprayers. Workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the vehicle/equipment before operating. All vehicles should be driven in a manner to protect workers, harvested produce, in-field crops and equipment. Workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the vehicle/equipment before operating. For example, workers may drive a truck or bus in the field to aid in harvesting, drive to and from the field to the packing shed, or drive to and from the housing unit to the work site. All vehicles should be driven in a manner to protect workers, harvested produce, in-field crops, and equipment.