Vegetable Harvest Workers

at FRESH HARVEST INC in Yuma, Arizona, United States

Job Description

Staggered Dates of Need / Staggered Entry Information: The employer's overall period of need is October 19, 2026 through April 15, 2027, during which the employer anticipates needing a total of 828 workers. The employer anticipates that these workers will commence employment on different dates during the period of need. The following dates and estimated numbers of workers represent the employer's anticipated commencement schedule. Actual commencement dates and the number of workers commencing on each date may vary based on the employer's actual agricultural labor needs and variable conditions affecting the agricultural work to be performed.

Estimated Commencement Date - Estimated Number of Workers

• October 19, 2026 - 166
• November 2, 2026 - 166
• November 9, 2026 - 166
• November 16, 2026 - 165
• November 19, 2026 - 165
  • Total: 828

Requirements: 2-months experience harvesting crops to avoid crop damage and personal injury. Written verification of experience is required. Cannot be color blind due to the need to distinguish colors of the product.  Must be able to use shears, clippers and other agricultural tools (i.e., hand saw (can be powered by gas)); no smoking, illegal drugs, alcohol, or weapons of any sort in the housing or work fields.  Worker safety on the job and in employer-provided housing is our top priority.  Workers may not possess, consume, or be under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, or other controlled substances at the worksite or in the employer-provided housing.  Fighting, including but not limited to, verbal, physical, or through social media or texts, and any threats or act of violence, and/or disruptive behavior against another individual or against property will not be tolerated, particularly acts of violence committed while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

H-2A and corresponding domestic workers must be available to perform each of the following job activities in connection with the harvesting and farming operations:

Vegetable/Harvest Workers, Thinning, Weeding, Crop cleaning, Transplanting,  Machine Operator, General Labor, Fork Lift Driver, Reyna (Bin Filler), Chalequero (Safety Vest Man), Tractor Driver, Citrus Work, Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment, General Farm Labor / General Ranch Maintenance, Farm & Harvest Equipment Cleaner, Farm & Harvest Equipment Repairer/Maintenance, Irrigators.

Crops / Leafy Crops / Leafy Greens: Romaine, Romaine Hearts, Salanova Lettuce, Green Leaf, Red Leaf , Butter, Spring Mix, Spinach, Iceberg Lettuce, Broccoli, Broccolette, Stalk and Crown Cauliflower, Cabbage, Celery, Frisee, Bok Choy, Nappa, Radicchio, Kale, Peas, Beets, Chard, Cilantro, Collards, Fennel, Leeks, Onion, Butternut, Green Acorn, Zucchini, Bell Peppers, Egg Plant, Brussel Sprouts, Melons, Artichoke, Tomato, Corn, Garlic, Dates, Green Beans, Citrus (Lemon, Orange, Mandarins, Tangerines), row crop (hay/straw/alfalfa)

Clean and Core Head Lettuce: Lettuce harvest workers will work as a member of a harvest crew and perform the following tasks: thinning, cleaning, general labor, and lettuce harvesting by walking in assigned furrows behind a harvesting machine platform or harvesting machine, selecting size and quality of lettuce to be harvested as specified by supervisor. Bends and grasps selected lettuce and cuts it from the roots using a harvesting knife. Trims outer leaves from the head and cores it with the coring knife. Employee inspects the head lettuce for defects. Employee places head lettuce onto the belt. The process is repeated. The cored lettuce is then carried down the belt to be dropped in a bin where employees inspect quality, core, remove loose leaves, and sort bin to capacity. Bins are constructed and sorted directly in the trailer on a pallet. Bins may weight up to 50 lbs empty. Pallets may weight up to 95 lbs empty, but are carried by two people.  Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment.  Employee discards lettuce that does not meet specified quality standards. Place trimmed lettuce meeting quality standards as directed by supervisor.

Romaine Carton, Romaine Top and Tail and Mixed Leaf Carton: Field worker harvests romaine, mixed leaf, and head lettuce, thinning, cleaning and general labor. Employee cuts, bags, packs, and loads fresh romaine, head, and mixed leaf in the field. Cutting is done by walking in uneven furrows behind a harvesting platform machine or belt. Under the direction of the field supervisor, employee determines size and quality of the product to be harvested. Then, using a harvesting hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee 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, wrap, seal, and place into a carton/tote, or top and place in wash bucket then dump into belt. 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 then stacked onto pallets on the deck of the harvester or trailer. Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment.  Cartons or totes with product can weight up to 50 lbs. Empty pallets can weight up to 95 lbs but are carried by two persons.

Wrap and Naked Iceberg Lettuce Specifications: Cutter and Bagger, Taper and Packer, Boxer/Closer/Tagger, Loader, thinning, cleaning, general labor. Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment.

Wrap and Naked Iceberg Lettuce: Field worker to harvest iceberg lettuce and process it for wrap or naked orders. Manual cutting is done by walking in uneven furrows behind a harvest machine with tables. Under the direction of the field supervisors, the worker then determines the size and quality of the iceberg lettuce to be harvested and using a harvesting knife, the employee bends at the waist and cuts the head from its roots. Employee then trims the outer leaves from the head. Employee inspects the head lettuce for defects and, if it is a wrap order, wraps it by placing it in a bag, or if it is a naked order, leaves it naked. If it is a wrap order, the employee carries a packet of bags around the waist to wrap the heads.

Wrap: If is a wrap order, the employee places the wrapped head onto a table. Then a second worker, taper/packer, picks up the bag, spins it, tapes it, and then proceeds to pack it by size.

Naked: If it is a naked order, the employee places the naked head onto a table. The packer will pack the heads, placing a large bag inside the box to protect the 24 heads. The process is repeated. Once the box is full, the closer/box maker will close the boxes and place them either on a machine or a trailer. Boxes may weight from 30-60 lbs and the box will be loaded by a loader onto a pallet that may weight up to 95 lbs empty, but is carried by two persons.

FORKLIFT DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS: Sits down on the forklift and performs the following: 1. Moves knobs on the machine to move loads (bins or pallets) from one trailer to another in fields 2. Loads and unloads from trailer empty containers and containers full of product in fields 3. Required basic knowledge of driving a forklift, must pass a forklift safety training (provided by the employer) and demonstrate ability to operate forklift in a safe manner.

CHALEQUERO (SAFETY VEST MAN): 75% of the time performs the duties of the jobs mentioned above. Replaces workers on bathroom breaks and supervises safety during machine and tractor turns getting off the field or coming back to start new row/furrow

CIF/CFR: TRACTOR DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS: 1. Transfers water from Reefer to tractor and from tractor to Machine. Mixes chlorine with water. 2. Builds bins on top of a platform, transports trailer from the lot the yard and tarp loads. 3. Drives tractor as bins are filled up.

MACHINE DRIVERS: 1. Rinses Machine before, during, and after shift. 2. Inspects the Machine before, during, and after shift. 3. Drives the Machine. 4. Opens and Closes the Machine 5. Takes extension in and out and loads the machine on transporting dolly.

REYNA (BIN FILLER): Builds bins on top of a platform, places liner in quality assurance. Makes sure bins are filled correctly. Closes the liner and tarps loads.

WRAP/HEARTS/MIXED: TRACTOR DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS: 1. Places pallets on platform and loads boxes. 2. Transports trailer from the lot the yard and tarp loads. 3. Places V-boards and ties loads.

MACHINE DRIVERS: 1. Rinses Machine before, during, and after shift. 2. Inspects the Machine before, during, and after shift. 3. Drives the Machine. 4. Opens and Closes the Machine 5. Takes extension in and out and loads the machine on transporting dolly. 6. Loader

General Ranch Maintenance / General Farm Labor includes, but is not limited to, on the farm road maintenance and dust control to farm roadways by means of farm equipment.