Vegetable Harvester / Field Packer

Number of Workers Requested:  102

Crops/Commodities: broccoli, potatoes, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage. This job requires a minimum of 3 months of prior verifiable experience working in a field harvest/field packing crew on a vegetable farm. Workers must be able to perform all duties with accuracy, efficiency and an eye to quality standards to ensure the production of a premium quality product. Workers will harvest crops including but not limited to broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, lettuce and cabbage. Workers will field pack broccoli and cauliflower in cartons at a rate of 4 pallets per hour for crown and 3 pallets per hour for bunches. There will be no mechanical cultivation or planting tasks involved under this labor certification, other than transplanting cauliflower and broccoli. Work will involve cutting broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and cabbage, bunching broccoli, stacking cartons, making cartons. Considerable stooping and kneeling is required. Care must be taken to prevent damaging produce. Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors and forklifts. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction. Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.Clean, adjust, repair, and perform routine service on equipment (e.g., lubricating grease points, inspecting and maintaining fluid levels, checking belt and conveyor tensions, and maintaining tires, wheels, bearings, belts, and other wear parts). Repair or replace defective parts. Attach farm implements (e.g., plows, harrows, discs, sprayers) using hand tools. May assist with other general farm maintenance or repairs. Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver’s license may drive company vehicles. Load and unload agricultural products or crops onto trucks, drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, and/or equipment/supplies to other Smith’s Farm Inc. farm locations, Smith’s Farm Inc. storage facilities, or Smith’s Farm Inc. packing house on private or public roads. Drive 6 wheel (Straight truck under 26K lb.) 8 wheel (straight truck over 26K lbs) or 18-wheel truck(s) (Over 26k lbs.) with Farm Use tags. This is a transfer/shuttle of plants or fruit from Smith’s Farm Inc. farm to Smith’s Farm Inc. farm/packing house so that the agricultural crops may be sorted and/or grouped for sale. Does not deliver to customers. Work is to be done in the field for long periods of time. Workers will perform duties including boxing, weighing and loading of product. Workers will assist in loading trucks with product weighing up to and including 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet for long periods of time. Workers should be able to work on their feet in bent positions for long periods of time. Work requires repetitive movements and extensive walking. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker’s ability to perform the job. Work required in fields when plants are wet with dew and rain, and may be required during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields may range from 10 to 100 degrees F. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker’s Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break.