Farm Laborer

Work description

The farm worker position includes duties associated with the harvesting and packing of peppers, squash cucumbers and strawberries. This work can require standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting up to 75 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. Cucumbers and Squash: Workers will bend and stoop to pick vegetables according to size, color, shape and degree of maturity and place into field containers. Workers must use care when performing their farm work duties and exercise consciousness to not damage or bruise the fruit and vegetables. 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. Workers will be assigned a row or series of rows and required to select and pick produce according to criteria outlined and demonstrated by managers such as size, coloring, and ripeness. They will be responsible for in-field grading 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. Workers may carry full container weighing approximately fifty (75) lbs and empty into field bin or load onto trailer. Peppers: Pre-harvest duties for may include laying plastic, planting, staking, and weeding plants by hand and/or hoe. Harvest primarily consists of harvesting by hand. The outlined job duties will require workers to stand, walk, stoop, bend, and lift up to 75 pounds continuously. These tasks will require individuals to work quickly and consistently and for long periods of time outdoors in all weather conditions. Workers must use care when performing their farm work duties and exercise consciousness to not damage or bruise the fruit and vegetables. 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. Workers will be assigned a row or series of rows and required to select and pick produce according to criteria outlined and demonstrated by managers such as size, coloring, and ripeness. They will be responsible for in-field grading 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. Help with post-harvest cleanup including pulling, piling, and sorting plastic, stakes, string, and field row irrigation components. Instruction will be given for each task and standards of performance communicated to workers.