Agriculture, Forestry And Agricultural Equipment Operator

Job duties

Original text, as filed with the Department of Labor.

All applicants must be able, willing, and qualified to perform the work described in this job description and must be available for the entire period of employment specified in box A.3 & A.4. This work order is for qualified people with 1-month prior experience performing agricultural work and working in a commercial scale maple sugaring operation. Workers should report for work with their own suitable clothing and must be willing to work in cold weather as low as 10 degrees F and work on snow covered ground up to 3 feet. Workers will use precision tree-sap tapping equipment, operate agricultural equipment to include tractor with loader and rear mounted attachments, UTV, and/or pick-up truck; and chainsaw. Workers may operate trucks or other multi-purpose vehicles to transport workers from housing (whether on or off farm) to the farm properties; haul tools, supplies, or crops; transport workers from place to place around the farm properties during the workday (including on public roads to reach farmer's fields); and/or transport workers to the grocery store, bank, or laundry facilities on an as-needed basis. Those that are requested to drive will be required to possess a valid driver's license, no worker will be rejected for not having a driver's license. The work is physically demanding and requires prolonged periods of bending, crouching, kneeling, stooping, walking, and standing. Workers must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds on a frequent basis. Workers will be compensated at the correct rate of pay for all hours worked, including when they are performing the employer’s obligation of driving. This position involves precision coring of "tap-holes" in trees; precision insertion and setting of spouts; crimping, cutting, and connecting food-grade flexible tubing; and installation and repairing of various diameter food-grade flexible pipe/tubing up to 3". Workers will clear brush install, replace and maintain & remove tubing systems, tap maple trees, evaluate health of sugar maples for potential sap production, monitor sap flow level in tubing, leak checking, set and monitor filter press, pull taps at the end of the season and clean equipment on a regular basis. Employer will furnish to workers without cost all tools and equipment required to perform duties assigned. Workers are required to work a 7 hour shifts within the hours of 7:00am to 7:00pm from Monday through Friday, and a 5-hour shift on Saturday within the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. This schedule totals 40 hours per week. The 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. range reflects the seasonal and weather-dependent nature of maple tapping operations, including variability in sap flow and collection conditions. This flexibility ensures workers can complete their required weekly hours while responding to daily production needs. Workers may offer additional hours beyond the standard schedule, subject to the mutual agreement of the workers and management. Workers will be provided with at least a 30-minute lunch break, staggered between 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., as determined by both the workers and management. Workers may choose where to eat their lunch and must return to work after the 30-minute break. The daily and weekly work schedules may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, sugarbush conditions, or other factors. The employer will notify workers of any changes to the schedule. The employer will provide one day of training and two days of work to demonstrate satisfactory performance of the duties described in this work order. Workers must be able to take direction in simple English. Workers must be able to consistently follow established safety protocols while using tools and performing assigned duties.

Requirements

Benefits and conditions