Crop Care Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
strawberries.
Under supervision, workers will perform manual labor to work in hydroponic greenhouse facility to prepare for new crop, perform regular crop maintenance on the old crop, including lowering, de-leafing, harvesting and maintaining the plants. Preparation and cleaning out of old crops. Workers will set up rockwool/peatmoss, load and unload new plants onto and off of trucks and/or carts, hang and remove string and plant wire spacing. Clean, sanitize and disinfect containers, materials, supplies or work areas using cleaning solutions and hand tools. Clean and maintain all grounds including gutters, irrigation lines, remove and replace old drippers, scout and maintain botrytis and close bee hives. Set up and clean up CMM machines and operate tearout forklifts. The workers will ensure that the plant crop is carried out efficiently and with care in order to produce a quality grown crop. Proper use of gloves, hairnets, smocks, shoe covers, hand sanitizers, foot baths and clippers is required. All food safety activities will also fall under the responsibility of this job order both inside and outside the greenhouse to ensure adherence to SQF rules and regulations as well as our strict integrated pest management program. Other general agricultural labor duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Workers will be working under the direction of the Labor Manager, Head Grower, Crop Supervisor or an experienced Group Leader.

Workers will receive training on The Ohio Greenhouse Company's policies with which they must comply including Equal Employment Opportunity policies, OSHA and Food and Health safety standards and guidelines, FMLA and worker's compensation leave policies and other standard operating procedures, around the time work commences.

Workers must attend an orientation session to review and train accordingly. Workers will be issued an identification badge and timekeeping wristband at no cost. Instructions on use and care of both will be provided in orientation. The employer retains ownership of the timekeeping wristband and ID badge. Both items must be returned to the employer upon termination of employment.

Employer is a drug and alcohol free workplace. The employer will drug/alcohol test upon reasonable suspicion of use and after a worker has an accident at work. If an employee tests positive, he/she is immediately terminated and paid for all hours worked between the first date of employment and the date of termination, if any. In the case of a non-local or foreign worker who is terminated for failure to pass a drug test, the employer will arrange least-cost transportation to the worker's place of recruitment, at the worker's expense.

Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Work in high humidity in temperatures which range between 70 and 80 degrees. Work with background noise of up to 70 decibels. Must be able to hear and see moving equipment for one's own safety as well as to hear announcements (in case of emergency) as well as buzzer indicating lunch and breaks. Requires good manual dexterity. Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations. Lift, bend, twist and carry up to 30 lbs. Workers need to have no fear of bees and be non-allergic to bee stings.

Operational specifications can and will change during the season due to crop market conditions. Workers will be expected to conform to the specific instructions provided for each day's work schedule. Instructions and general supervision will be provided by the General Manager, Head Grower, Labor Manager, Crop Supervisors or any other designated personnel assigned to lead work groups.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of three months of prior employment experience on a farm or in a greenhouse, producing strawberries. Workers will be expected to perform manual jobs as well as equipment operation with accuracy and efficiency beginning with planting through harvest. Saturday work required. Must lift/bend/twist/carry up to 30 lbs. Post-hire employer-paid drug testing required. Workers need to have no fear of bees and be non-allergic to bee stings.