Orchard Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities: apples. Instructions and overall supervision and direction of workers will be provided by a company supervisor. Quality is essential. Fruit is spot picked for fresh market and processing. Workers will be directed to strip all fruit from tree at one picking or to spot pick (selective picking) according to size and color depending on crop conditions and state of maturity. Fruit picked as drops is never mixed with tree fruit. Workers will be expected to pick sufficient fruit to generate at least 5 bins (100 bushels) per day. Properly filled picking bags weigh up to 35 lbs. Workers must be able to lift/carry the picking bag and place the apples in a 20-bushel bin. Pickers are required to snap fruit off of tree using their thumb and palm of hand to avoid bruising. Each piece of fruit must be carefully placed in picking bag to avoid bruising. Foreman will give demonstrations of how the fruit must be picked; picking requirements will be explained to all workers prior to the season's start. Each worker's picked fruit will be inspected according to instructions given each day by the orchard foreman. All fruit is to be handled with care to avoid causing damage or bruising. Fruit injured by bruising during picking shall not exceed 1% (WNY) for fresh and 1% (WNY) for processing. Ladders ranging from 8-foot stepladder to ladders 16 feet in length are used. Workers must obey all safety rules when working around, applying or handling pesticides. All tasks are done from the ground or on a ladder.

Work also includes any combination of tasks involved in planting, weeding, cultivating and harvesting of fruits such as tilling soil, planting stock, pruning trees, removing suckers and runners from trees. Other duties will include repairing wood bins, laying out irrigation pipe and installing sprinklers, assisting in repairing fences, unloading trucks, clearing fields, burning brush, hand thinning fruit and picking stones. Workers will use appropriate hand tools such as hoes, hammers and shears. Neither quality control oversight nor supervisory duties are included.

Work also includes mechanized field work using power equipment. By way of example and not limitation power equipment will include tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, self-propelled machinery and other equipment. Workers will be expected to be able to operate agricultural equipment with or without direction. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency.

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. Employer expects workers to be able to maintain a pace equaling a minimum of five (5) twenty-bushel bins per seven-hour shift during harvest.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 2 months of verifiable agricultural experience handling both manual and mechanized tasks including agricultural field work. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 65 lbs.