Field Worker (Harvest) and Ag Equip Operator

Foothill Packing Inc; Yuma (AZ); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

Foothill Packing Inc in Arizona's Yuma area is seeking workers for the lettuce harvest. Workers will perform heavy field work to harvest head lettuce, romaine, and related products, often lifting up to 50 lbs and handling knives or coring tools.

Color vision is required to distinguish crop colors, and workers must tolerate muddy and wet conditions. Under field supervision, employees cut, trim, and pack lettuce into cartons or totes as part of the harvesting and packing process.

Qualifications

• 1 month experience with the produce, including harvest work
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently
• Must be able to use hand tools, including cutting knives
• Color vision required to distinguish crop colors
• Work in conditions where skin/clothing may get muddy, wet, greasy, etc.

Responsibilities

• Heavy field work to harvest lettuce (head, romaine, and value-added cuts)
• Operate harvesting knife/coring attachment and trim outer leaves
• Move and inspect lettuce onto belts, bins, or pallets for packing
• Pack, box, and prepare product for transport under supervision

Job description

This job was posted by https://www.azjobconnection.gov : For more

information, please see: https://www.azjobconnection.gov/jobs/7567497

Must have 1 months work experience with the produce as defined in this

application including harvest work. Specific requirements include

lifting to 50 pounds frequently and being able to use hand tools,

including cutting knives. Cannot be color blind due to the need to

distinguish colors of crops. Must be able to work under conditions where

skin and clothing become heavily soiled with mud, water, grease, etc.

(Clean and Core of Head Lettuce, Head Lettuce, Romaine Carton, Romaine

Top and Tail Value added, and Heart/Mixed Leaf carton).

Clean and Core of Head Lettuce: Heavy field work to harvest cored head

lettuce in preparation for value added processing. Employees walk in

uneven furrows behind a harvesting conveyor belt or riding a machine

platform to cut the produce. Under the direction of the field

Supervisors, the worker then determines the size and quality of the

cored lettuce to be harvested and using a harvesting knife with a coring

attachment, the employee bends at the waist, grasps produce and cuts the

head from its roots. Employee then trims the outer leaves from the head

and removes core with the coring attachment. Employees inspect the head

lettuce for defects and places head onto the belt. The process is

repeated. The cored lettuce is then carried down the belt where

employees inspect quality, core, and remove loose leaves prior to being

dropped in a bin where it is sorted to bin capacity. Bins are

constructed and sorted directly on the trailer on a pallet. Bins may

weigh up to 50 lbs. empty. Pallets may weigh up to 95 lbs. empty.

Between two workers empty pallets are carried and assembled.

Head Lettuce: Heavy field work to harvest head lettuce. Employees cut,

bag, pack, and heart lettuce in the field. Employees walk in uneven

furrows behind a harvesting platform machine or belt to cut the produce.

Under the direction of the field Supervisors, employees determine size

and quality of the product to be harvested. Then, using a harvesting

hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee grasps the produce,

cuts the head from the roots, and trims the outer leaves from the head

to prepare it to be placed into a carton or tote. Cutter places the

product on a table for the packer to either or combination of, tie, spot

wash, sort, wrap, seal and place into a carton or tote. Packers will

secure empty containers from designated racks, insert lining material as

necessary and fill the carton or totes to specification. Once totes,

cartons or bins are filled they are pushed on to conveyor belt for

loaders to close/cover and stack on the pallet. The cartons or totes for

the product are constructed by unfolding and bending the material as

designed to form a box. Carton is labeled and marked as required. The

process is repeated. The cartons, totes or bins are lifted then stacked

onto pallets on the deck of the harvester or trailer. Cartons or totes

with product can weigh up to 50 lbs. Empty bins Pallets can weigh up to

95 lbs. Between two workers the empty pallets are carried, and bins are

assembled.

Romaine Top & Tail: Heavy field work to harvest romaine lettuce in

preparation for value added processing. Employees will walk in uneven

furrows behind a harvesting conveyor belt to cut the produce. Under the

direction of the field Supervisors, the worker then determines the size

and quality of the romaine lettuce to be harvested and using a

harvesting knife, the employee bends at the waist, grasps produce and

cuts the head from its roots. Employees then trim the outer leaves from

the head and places head onto table. The process is repeated. The

romaine is then topped and cored then carried down the belt where

employees inspect quality, core, and remove loose leaves prior to being

dropped in a bin where it is sorted to bin capacity. Bi s are

constructed and sorted directly on the trailer on a pallet. Bins may

weigh up to 50 lbs. empty. Pallets may weigh up to 95 lbs. empty.

Between two workers empty pallets are carried and assembled.

Romaine, Hearts, Mix Leaf: Heavy field work to harvest romaine, heart

and mix leaf. Employees cut, bag, pack, and load fresh romaine, head,

and heart lettuce in the field. Employees will walk in uneven furrows

behind a harvesting platform machine or belt to cut the produce. Under

the direction of the field Supervisors, employees determine size and

quality of the product to be harvested. Then, using a harvesting hand

knife and bending at the waist, the employee grasps the produce, cuts

the head from the roots, and trims the outer leaves from the head to

prepare it to be placed into a carton or tote. Cutter places the product

on a table for the packer to either or combination of, tie, spot wash,

sort, wrap, seal and place into a carton or tote. Packers will secure

empty containers from designated racks, insert lining material as

necessary and fill the carton or totes to specification. Once totes,

cartons or bins are filled they are pushed on to conveyor belt for

loaders to close/cover and stack on the pallet. The cartons or totes for

the product are constructed by unfolding and bending the material as

designed to form a box. Carton is labeled and marked as required. The

process is repeated. The cartons, totes or bins are lifted then stacked

onto pallets on the deck of t