409 Plant Farming & Related Occupations

This group includes occupations, not elsewhere classified, concerned with plant farming and related activities.

409.117-010 HARVEST CONTRACTOR (agric.) farm-labor contractor.

Provides harvest crews for farmers and directs, coordinates, and oversees crew activities, such as field hauling and threshing: Contacts crop growers to ascertain time and method of harvesting. Inspects crops and fields to estimate acreage yield and determine loading requirements, land contours, road accessibility, and distances to storage or processing area. Prepares and submits bids to farmer to obtain harvest contract. Recruits, hires and orients crew members. Assigns workers to tasks involved in harvesting, loading, moving, and storing crops. Prepares and submits bids to farmers to provide work crews for farming activities, such as planting, pruning, and thinning fruit trees, setting posts, and weeding field crops. May transport or arrange for transportation of workers. May be required to be licensed by state and federal authorities. May prepare production records and crew payroll. May be identified with crew activity, such as CONTRACTOR, BROOMCORN THRESHING (agric.); CONTRACTOR, FIELD HAULING (agric.).

409.131-010 SUPERVISOR, PICKING CREW (agric.) harvest supervisor.

Supervises and coordinates activities of workers engaged in picking fruits, vegetables, and row crops, by hand or machine, and loading and stacking filled containers on trucks: Examines crop to determine degree of maturity. Directs workers in methods of picking crops and specifies size of fruit or vegetable to pick. Insures that equipment, such as ladders and containers, are available to workers. Directs distribution of field boxes along rows for convenience of workers. Checks harvested products for size, quality, and variety, and informs workers of discrepancies. Oversees loading and stacking filled containers on trucks. Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.). May pay employees. May be designated according to type of crops harvested as APPLE-PICKING SUPERVISOR (agric.); CAULIFLOWER HARVESTING-AND-PICKING SUPERVISOR (agric.); ORANGE-PICKING SUPERVISOR (agric.); PEACH-HARVESTING SUPERVISOR (agric.); WATERMELON-HARVESTING SUPERVISOR (agric.).

409.137-010 IRRIGATOR, HEAD (agric.) supervisor, irrigation.

Supervises and coordinates activities of workers engaged in irrigating crops: Inspects area irrigated to ensure adequate soaking and prevent waste of water. Opens head gate to permit entry of water into main ditches or pipes. Signals worker to start water flow. Directs workers in cleaning and repairing ditches or pipes. Keeps workers' time records. Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.). May verify addition of liquid fertilizer to irrigation ditches by commercial firm.

409.137-014 ROW BOSS, HOEING (agric.)

Supervises and coordinates activities of workers engaged in hoeing, weeding, and thinning crops, such as sugar beets, lettuce, and watermelons: Assigns rows and distributes hoes to workers. Observes thinning, weeding, or cultivating process, notes evidence of unsatisfactory work, and initiates corrective measures. Keeps time and production records. Collects tools at end of workday. Performs other duties as described under SUPERVISOR (any ind.). May recruit workers.

409.683-010 FARM-MACHINE OPERATOR (agric.)

Drives and operates one or more farm machines, such as tractors, trucks, and harvesters to perform specified farm activity as cutting hay, picking cranberries, and harvesting wheat: Hitches soil conditioning implement, such as plow or harrow to tractor and operates tractor and towed implement to furrow and grade soil. Drives tractor and operates designated towed machine, such as seed drill or manure spreader to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops. Prepares harvesting machine by adjusting speeds of cutters, blowers, and conveyors and height of cutting head or depth of digging blades according to type, height, weight, and condition of crop being harvested, and contour of terrain. Attaches towed- or mounted-type harvesting machine to tractor, using hand tools, or drives self-propelled harvesting machine to tractor, using hand tools, or drives self-propelled harvesting machine to cut, pull up, dig, thresh, clean, chop, bag, or bundle crops, such as sod, vine fruits, or livestock feed. Moves switches, pulls levers, and turns knobs and wheels to activate and regulate mechanisms. Refuels engine, lubricates machine parts, and monitors machine operations to ensure optimum performance. Drives truck to haul materials, supplies, or harvested crops to designated locations. May load and unload containers of materials and products on trucks, trailers, or rail cars by hand or driving forklift truck. May mix specified materials and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery. May oversee activities of field crews. May drive horses or mules to tow farm machinery. May be identified with crop, such as hay, onions, and cranberries, or machine, such as baler, chopper, and digger.

409.683-014 FIELD HAULER (agric.)

Drives truck or tractor with trailer attached to gather and transport harvested crop in field: Hauls trailer alongside crew loading crop or adjacent to harvesting machine and regulates speed to keep abreast of crew. Hauls loaded trailers from field to highway or packing shed, uncouples trailer, couples empty trailer to tractor and returns to field. May haul crop over public roads to storage shed or processing plant.

409.684-010 IRRIGATOR, VALVE PIPE (agric.)

Floods or row-irrigates field sections, using portable pipe sections equipped with valves connected to underground waterline: Secures gate attachment (water flow regulator) to vertical pipe. Connects length of valve pipe to gate and attaches additional pipe through field section or across ends of rows until area is spanned. Starts motor that pumps water through pipeline system, and opens valves to direct water over uneven terrain and fill rows or areas enclosed by checks (earth embankments). Observes rate of flow and adjusts valves accordingly. Shovels dirt into holes and low spots in levees and removes obstructions. Digs opening in embankment at end of row to direct overflow of water into spillway. Builds levees to prevent water from overflow of water into spillway. Builds levees to prevent water from overflowing other crops or highways. Lubricates pumping equipment and makes minor repairs.

409.685-010 FARM-MACHINE TENDER (agric.)

Tends machines, such as corn shelling machine, winnowing machine, and grass-removing machine that separate crops from waste materials, such as grass, twigs, and cobs: Turns switches to activate machinery, such as conveyors, blowers, and shakers. Adjusts machinery to obtain optimum separations. Loads conveyors, hoppers, and wheels to feed machines. Positions boxes or attaches bags at discharge end of conveyor to catch products. Moves baffle lever that channels product flow to container or stops flow during container exchanges. Observes machine operation to detect malfunctions and adjusts machine, lubricates parts, and replaces pieces to improve performance. Stops machinery and pulls debris or overloads from conveyors to avoid clogging. May level and smooth materials on conveyor to regulate flow through machine. May weigh containers to insure conformance with specifications. May close filled sacks, using needle and thread or tie-string, and stencil identifying information on sack. May mix and pour chemical solutions, such as preservatives and insecticides, in treating tanks. May transport materials and products to and from machine, using dump truck. May be identified with machine tended.

409.685-014 IRRIGATOR, SPRINKLING SYSTEM (agric.) irrigator, overhead.

Tends sprinkler system to irrigate land: Lays out strings (pipe) along designated pipeline settings in field. Connects pipe, using snap lock or wrench to tighten collar clamp. Attaches revolving sprinkler heads to vertical pipes at designated points along pipeline. Starts gasoline engine and adjusts controls that move self-propelled wheel line sprinkler system across field or pushes on switch that activates circle sprinkler system, and starts pump that forces water through system to irrigate water to all areas. Lubricates, adjusts, and repairs or replaces parts, such as sprinkler heads and drive chains to maintain system, using hand tools. Disassembles system and moves it to next location after specified time intervals.

409.686-010 FARM WORKER, MACHINE (agric.)

Performs any combination of following duties to feed or offbear farm machines used to plant, harvest, and clean crops: Loads containers of rooted cuttings, plants, seedlings, or bulbs on planting machine and pulls levers to start planting and watering mechanisms. Walks beside or rides on machine while inserting plants in planter-mechanism clamp, pocket, or tube at specified intervals. Dumps, pitches, scoops, or shovels materials and products, such as bulbs, onions, and nuts into feed hopper. Guides plants onto feed conveyor. Picks up spilled coworker when machine malfunctions are observed. Stacks empty boxes in conveyor discharge rack or hangs bags on hooks under discharge chute, and flips baffle lever that channels discharge flow to catch products. Closes ends of filled sacks, using tie wires. Loads sacks or boxes onto truck or trailer, or guides discharge spout over truck, trailer, or silo. Cleans machinery, such as planting or digging mechanism and chain conveyor. Lubricates, adjusts, and replaces machinery parts, using hand tools.

409.687-010 INSPECTOR-GRADER, AGRICULTURAL ESTABLISHMENT (agric.)

Inspects and grades agricultural products, such as carrots, rose bushes, strawberry plants, and tobacco, in field or shed, according to marketing specifications: Estimates weight of product visually and by feel. Verifies count. Looks at, feels, and smells product, as required by its nature, to determine grade and identify substandard products. Places rejected products and individual grades of products in designated piles, containers, or areas. May pay harvest hands. May oversee field hauling. May be designated according to kind of product as CARROT GRADER-INSPECTOR (agric.); ROSE GRADER (agric.); TOBACCO GRADER (agric.); WATERMELON INSPECTOR (agric.).

409.687-014 IRRIGATOR, GRAVITY FLOW (agric.)

Irrigates field and row crops, using any of the following gravity-flow methods: (1) Lifts gate in side of flooded irrigation ditch, permitting water to flow into bordered section of field. Shovels and packs dirt in low spots of embankment or cuts trenches in high areas to direct water-flow. Closes gate in ditch when bordered section is flooded. (2) Removes plugs from portholes in pipes or wooden tunnels set in embankment at end of rows and observes water flowing through them. Removes obstructions from rows and builds up edges of rows with dirt. Plugs porthole as each row is filled. (3) Opens gate or connects standpipe (vertical pipe) to underground pipe system that releases water flow into reservoir or ditch. Siphons water from flooded reservoir or gate or connects standpipe (vertical pipe) to underground pipe system that releases water flow into reservoir or ditch. Shovels or hoes soil to clear ditches and furrows and build embankments that channel water in assigned area but avoid overflow into areas that could be damaged by water. May mix and apply cement solution to fill holes and cracks in concrete-lined pipes, ditches, and spillways, and make minor repairs to metal, concrete, and wooden frameworks in pipe and ditch valves and gates. May carry, lay out, and join portable irrigation-pipe section to link up main ditch or pipe with field.

409.687-018 WEEDER-THINNER (agric.)

Weeds or thins crops, such as tobacco, strawberries, sugar beets, and carrots, by hand or using hoe: Breaks up soil around each plant. Pulls or cuts out weeds and surplus seedlings. Grooves dirt along row to facilitate irrigation, and mounds dirt around plants to protect roots. May be designated HOER (agric.) when job emphasis is on use of hoe.

Adapted from US Department of Labor DOT for Dictionary of Agricultural Occupations

15 November 2004