Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop

at Vallejo and Vazquez Sons Harvesting LLC in Seaford, Delaware, United States Job Description Workers will perform assigned duties as described in this clearance order. For the harvesting of vegetables and fruit, workers will arrive at the picking location and work one row at a time, moving down the rows to harvest crops. For tomatoes, workers will pluck the fruit from the plants, place them into a designated picking container, and carry the full container to the truck to dump the contents. For watermelons, workers will inspect the fruit for ripeness and carefully cut mature watermelons from the vine using a small harvesting knife. Due to the weight of the watermelons, workers will pass them along a worker chain using a pass-and-catch method to load them directly into field trailers, modified buses, or bulk bins, repeating these picking and loading processes throughout the workday. Regarding planting for all crops, workers will plant and replant as needed, which will include repetitive and physically demanding shovel work where workers must be able to lift up to 60 pounds. Workers may also be required to ride a mechanical planter, for which training will be provided, or hand-plant using tools such as a spade or hand trowel. For vegetable and fruit packing, trucks will transport the harvested tomatoes and watermelons to the packing house located on the farm. Workers will sort through the harvest to select specific produce to be used for seed, and the remaining produce will be sorted and graded by size, quality, and ripeness, before being labeled and packed into boxes, crates, or large bulk bins for shipment. For field maintenance, workers will perform general field upkeep to support crop growth, which includes laying down and removing plastic ground cover, staking, tying, and pruning tomato plants, clearing micro-jets, and removing plastic drip irrigation lines. Workers will also use their hands or a hoe to remove dead plants, vines, and weeds from the fields. Please note that the packing house is located inside the farm, and more than 50% of the product processed is produced by the Fixed-Site Employer. Workers must be able to perform strenuous manual labor outdoors in all weather conditions, including heat, cold, and rain, for a minimum of six (6) hours per day. The position requires physical strength and endurance to bend, stoop, and stand for extended periods, as well as manual dexterity to repetitively use hands at a sustained pace to meet production standards. The employer will provide all necessary tools and equipment at no charge to the worker. Consistent with applicable law, the employer may recover the reasonable cost of repair or replacement of tools if damage results from the worker's willful misconduct or gross negligence after the damage has occurred and after gaining the employee's written authorization to make the deduction. At its sole discretion, the employer may pay a higher wage rate based on individual performance or tenure, which does not alter the entry-level requirements of this position. To view full details and how to apply, please login or create a Job Seeker account