H-2A · Agriculture

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

Fernandez & Son's Harvesting LLC

Zolfo Springs, FL — United States

Job duties

Official text in English.

Workers will perform assigned duties as described in this clearance order and as instructed by their supervisors. Preparing Land for Watermelons, Strawberries, and Bell Peppers: Workers will prepare fields under the direction of the supervisor by removing weeds, rocks, old plants, and debris; spreading compost, well-rotted manure, or fertilizer as directed; tilling soil; raising planting beds or mounds to improve drainage; and assisting with the formation of planting beds. Once the field is prepared, workers will plant watermelon seeds or transplants in pre-designated locations and spacing established by the employer. Planting Fruits and Vegetables: A tractor or transplanter will prepare planting holes. Workers will obtain containers of plants from a field wagon or truck, walk assigned rows, place one plant into each prepared hole, and return to the wagon or truck for additional plants as needed, repeating this process throughout the workday. Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables: Workers will harvest fruits and vegetables, including strawberries and bell peppers, by hand. Working one row at a time, workers will remove mature produce from the plants and place it into designated containers. When a container is full, workers will carry it to the designated wagon or truck to unload or exchange it for an empty container before returning to continue harvesting throughout the workday. Harvesting Blueberries: Workers will harvest blueberries by hand while wearing a one-gallon canvas picking bucket supported by a shoulder strap. Workers will carefully remove ripe fruit without damaging limbs, immature fruit, or the plants, and place the fruit into the picking bucket. When the bucket is full, workers will carry it to the designated field truck or collection container, empty the fruit into the designated container, and return to continue harvesting. Field Maintenance: Workers will assist with the installation, movement, connection, disconnection, flushing, cleaning, and routine maintenance of irrigation lines, drip tape, micro-jets, and related irrigation components under supervisor direction. Workers will also lay plastic mulch, tie plants, stake plants, prune, weed, clean micro-jets, collect and dispose of trash, and remove plastic mulch and drip lines from fields using hand tools and equipment provided by the employer. Harvesting Watermelons: Workers will walk assigned watermelon rows and harvest ripe watermelons by hand. Workers will use a small knife to cut the vine from the watermelon and turn the fruit over before harvesting. Workers will bend, stoop, and lift ripe watermelons, which may weigh between 20 and 60 pounds, and carefully hand or toss the watermelons from worker to worker in a field-loading chain until the fruit reaches the transport vehicle, where another worker will place the watermelons inside the vehicle for transport. Workers may be assigned to operate non-commercial farm equipment, such as utility vehicles or field wagons, after receiving employer training, in connection with planting, harvesting, and field maintenance activities. Watermelon Packing: When transport vehicles are full, they will be taken to the on-farm packing facility where workers will unload the watermelons onto a conveyor belt. The conveyor system will transport the watermelons through the packing line where they will be sorted by size, labeled, and packed. Watermelon field packing may also occur at designated locations on the employer's farm. Packing Activities: Packing activities occur on the employer's fixed-site farm and involve only commodities produced by the employer. More than 50 percent of the product handled belongs to the fixed-site employer.

Requirements

This type of work, involves working conditions that require tremendous stamina, a high level of physical activity in cold or extremely hot conditions in direct sunlight and in adverse weather such as rain. The work requires a high level of physical conditioning. workers will be trained for 7-14 days

Housing

The employer will provide housing, without charge to the worker. Employer may deduct the reasonable cost of negligent damage to lodging facilities after damage has occurred and after gaining the employee's written authorization to make the deduction. Workers should maintain housing in a clean manner. Family Housing is not available and is not a prevailing practice in the area. In the event a female worker is hired, separate toilet, shower, and sleeping rooms will be provided

Transportation

For workers hired from beyond normal commuting distance, after completion of 50 percent of the work contract period, the employer shall reimburse the worker for cost incurred by the worker for transportation and daily subsistence, as required by DOL regulations, from the place from which the worker has come to work for the employer to the place of employment.

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Source: U.S. Department of Labor (seasonaljobs.dol.gov). Look Jobs only shares these jobs; hiring and visas are the responsibility of the employer and the U.S. government. Case: H-300-26273-270649