Farmworkers

Crops/Commodities

Farmwork: broccoli, cabbage, greens and potato.

Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays)

Cultivate, plant, weed, harvest and pack broccoli, cabbage, potato and greens by hand and machine. Operate farm vehicles, implements and mechanical equipment including tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plant and harvest crops (5%). Use hand tools such as shovels, tampers, pruning hooks, machetes, hoes and knives.

Transplant crops by either riding on the back of a transplanter and feeding transplants carefully through fingers of the transplanter that places the plant into the ground and covers the root of the plant with soil, or by walking and carrying trays through assigned rows in the field while bending and stooping to carefully place the transplants into pre-dug holes and covering roots with soil.

Harvest broccoli according to supervisor's instructions by walking down assigned rows, bending and reaching to cut mature broccoli using a sharp knife. Heads may only be cut if they are the correct quality and width, approximately 5-6 inches. Workers then may place the cut broccoli into boxes, carry and load their full boxes onto trucks that are moving through the field, or place cut broccoli onto the packing trays of a harvest aide. Some workers will walk and cut, while others will ride harvest aide and pack broccoli that harvesters place in the packing area.

Cabbage will be cut at the base using a knife and either tossed into bins, onto a harvest aide, a bulk wagon, or placed into boxes weighing approximately 50 lbs. in the field and loaded onto trailers. Determine maturity level of produce quickly and consistently by color, feel and size and apply correct defect tolerance, handling and harvest standards as instructed by supervisor.

Harvest greens by walking along assigned rows, bending, and cutting the base of greens, bunching, banding, placing tied bunches into boxes, carrying and loading full boxes onto trucks moving in front of group. Greens may require ice to be applied after placing into boxes. Palletize boxes of greens.

Participate in irrigation activities including setting up, shoveling ditches to find spigots, operating and maintaining drip and other irrigation equipment including drain pipes on drainage end of fields. Manually pull weeds, mow and weed eat. Clean fields when harvest activities are complete. Till soil. Clear and maintain fields and irrigation ditches. Remove stumps and roots from fields after harvest.

Workers must select harvestable produce based on correct size, maturity and quality. Workers will not break skin, damage, drop or bruise produce, or leave any appropriate product on the plant during harvest. Workers must discard and destroy produce that has been in contact with blood. Any produce harvested or still on the plant that has been exposed to blood shall be discarded and destroyed. Workers must pass by or discard any produce that bears obvious signs of pest activity, fecal contamination, plant disease, or physical damage, or any produce that has been dropped on the ground. Workers must wash buckets, tools and equipment to avoid unnecessary introduction of soil into harvest containers and field bins, or onto tools or other harvesting equipment. Harvest knives will be collected and sanitized and given back to workers before harvest each day. Count and check harvested produce in the field. Repair fences and farm buildings to keep a sanitary and animal free environment. Assist with Good Agricultural Practices policies. Workers may only use knives or other harvest tools given to them by a supervisor, or approved by a supervisor. Sheaths for knives must also be approved. Workers will not sharpen knives in the field or near produce. Knives may only be sharpened on the turn rows at the end of the field.

Requirements: 2 months of experience. Two months of farmwork experience required. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Work involves repetitive walking, bending, stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, twisting, lifting, carrying and loading up to 60 lbs. repeatedly. Physical stamina required. Work is outside and may be in extremely hot, cold, humid and/or wet conditions for extended periods of time.