Student Veterans of America Jobs

Temporary Need: 05/01/24 - 12/31/24. Eight (8) full-time, temporary Farm/Crop Workers (Seed Production Worker) needed. Requirements: A minimum of one (1) month prior experience in native seed production; drive; ability to lift and carry 70 lbs; and have working knowledge of farm machinery, plant nutrition and growth. Location: Work will be performed in Benjamin, Utah. Pay is $16.63/hour. Hours: 40 hours/week, 6:00am - 2:00pm., Mon-Fri. Duties: Forbes crop is planted and gathered outside in the heat/cold. Job requires frequent stooping. Planting Crop: Cultivate soil and prepare irrigation ditches using a tractor plow and hand shovels. Forb seed is distributed across soil by hand or is planted in the on-site greenhouse in individual containers and then transferred as seedlings to the crop site and planted individually, spacing 20" apart. Worker will care for crop by watering and adjusting heat in the greenhouse as well as irrigating crop on the farm. Plant saltgrass, Perry Salt Bush, bush seepweed, greasewood, sagebrush in containers. Workers will care for plants by weeding, fertilizing, watering, transplanting, moving. Globemallow crop will be planted in the spring and harvested annually in the early summer months, depending on weather and seed formation. Forage Kochia crop must be planted in late November/December with this years harvest and is harvested annually during November/December months. Harvesting forbe seed: hit shrub with a tennis racket into a large sack that is held across one shoulder and back. When sack is full, clean out large sticks with hands and then place the remaining seed into 75 lb. bags. Carry bags to truck. Harvesting globemallow seed: strip seed from branches using hand, place in a bag. Each of the above crops will require tilling/cultivating the land, planting seed and/or seedlings, irrigating the crop, mitigating weeds, observing plant hardiness, controlling pests, harvesting crop, cleaning and processing the crop, and delivering the seed crop to storage. Saltgrass seedlings will be planted in the on-site greenhouses. Trays will be filled with soil and seed, each week for 10 weeks. Seedlings must be watered, weeded, be temperature-controlled and transferred to larger trays when they are established. Care(40%). Cleaning Seed- Native Seed Production Worker cleans shrub, grass, forb, and flower seed acquired by Native Harvest Seed Inc. Cleaning Seed: lay seed out on large tarps (will be outside in the heat/cold). Move seed from greenhouses to cleaning facility using a skid steer or tractor. Scoop seed with shovels into 200 lb bags. Empty 200 lb bags into a large cleaning machine using a tractor. Place seed on a screen table, move seed around with hands to separate seed from dirt. Blow out debris by shoveling dried/processed seed onto screening table while running large fans to remove debris. Will need to wear a dust mask/respirator to protect against dust. Shovel seed into bags. Seed must be dried, cleaned and processed immediately following harvest to protect seed quality, since moisture and other debris harms the seed (40%). Packaging - place seed from large bags into smaller bags according to individual/custom orders based on weight. Make custom seed mixes by placing seed amounts into mixing machine and transferring seed mix to appropriate size bags. Sew bag closed with a sewing machine and place a label on the bag. Stack bags on pallets, wrap pallets with plastic, and load onto freight trucks using the tractor (20%). Terms and conditions of employment: Workers will be supervised daily with a trained supervisor. Employer will provide harvesting sacks, rackets, knives, dust masks/respirators, 1 pair of gloves, and bags. Employee must be willing to perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision; absences from work and/or failure to perform required tasks will not be tolerated. The job entails working with farm machinery and working outdoors in all types of weather. Must provid employment eligibility documentation (I9 verification) upon hire. All tools, supplies and equipment necessary to perform the duties assigned will be provided at no cost or deposit to the worker. The employer will provide, at no cost to the worker, Workers' Compensation coverage or private insurance which is equal to Workers' Compensation laws for comparable employment. Applicants that have not worked as a livestock worker during the past twelve (12) months, up to two (2) references will be required. The employer guarantees to offer the worker employment for a total number of work days equal to at least 3/4's of the total work period beginning with the first workday after the arrival of the worker at the place of employment or advertised contractual first day of need. Whichever is later to occur, and ending on the expiration date specified. If the worker completes 50% of the work contract period, the employer shall pay the worker the cost incurred by the worker for transportation and daily subsistence from the place from which the worker has come to work for the employer ($15.88/day, maximum $59/day with receipts). The offered wage equals or exceeds the highest of the prevailing wage (AWER) that is issued and determined by DOL for the time period the work is performed (or whichever is the highest rate). This job is in connection with a future H-2A labor certification application.