Farm and agricultural worker

General Farm Workers in Somerton, Arizona

This is an H-2A job order, which means the employer has already applied to hire workers from outside the United States for it.

Employer: Riverside Ag Works LLC
Where: Somerton, Arizona
Places: 110
Pay: $15.32 per hour
Visa: H-2A
Starts: 2026-08-17
Ends: 2027-06-17
Filed: 2026-06-25

What the work involves

Farm workers are responsible for performing general farm upkeep tasks and harvesting of Dates, often requiring physical stamina and the ability to work in various weather conditions. Tree Work – All tree (Date Palms) work requires either working from the ground while standing or walking on uneven ground or working from a basket/platform that is raised by a forklift or reach lift that will be raised off the ground that could be as high as 55 feet off the ground. Employees will be pruning and hoeing date trees, using both hands pruning shears, pruning loppers and long handled hoes. Specific to Date Palms - De-thorn job is done by removing thorns from palms with curved knife while standing on the ground or in a raised platform, by moving the knife along the edges of the frond removing the thorns. Pollinating is done by removing the husk of the flower and tying a string around the strands at the middle of the flower, and possibly removing a portion of the flower, if necessary, applying date pollen by hand with a small rubber pollinating tool. Cutting Centers/ Strands/ Thinning is done by removing the center of the bunches with a hand pruner, and selectively removing dates or cutting strands to length. Tying for direction is done by choosing the natural direction of the bunch/fruit arm and bending it without breaking, and then tying it to support the weight of the fruit arm. The employee will insert metal rings carefully between the strands of the fruit bunch and then applying a fruit bag over the bunch while securing the bag to the bunch. Closing of the bag is done prior to harvest using twine or Velcro on the bag. All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman and supervisor to ensure quality of work. Harvest- All (Date Palms) harvest requires either working from the ground while standing or walking on uneven ground or working from a basket/platform that is raised by a forklift or reach lift that will be raised off the ground that could be as high as 55 feet off the ground. Harvest is done by identifying fruit by color, and texture and picking accordingly and placing fruit into trays that are then moved to the field trailers or pallets. Removing is done by using a knife and cutting the twine and taking off bag. Bags are then counted/folded and put on pallets for storage. Fruit arms are then cut off using a knife. All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman and supervisor to ensure quality of work. Groundwork – Planting Date Palms is done by digging a hole with a shovel and placing Date Palms that could weigh up to 50 lbs. from a potted container into the hole and replacing soil. Specific to Date Palms-Cutting Shoots is done by removing shoots on side of palm trees by placing chisel between shoot and tree and hammering the chisel to remove the shoot. Shoots are also removed from the side of the trees by placing a metal bar and prying the shoot off the tree. Cleaning Date Palms -Weeding – While working on uneven ground, either dig with a shovel, or use a crowbar with a hammer, to remove shoots from base of Date Palms. Weeding is done with a long-handled hoe, or by hand if necessary. All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman and supervisor to ensure quality of the work. Irrigation – qualified workers to assist in checking/repairing drip lines, ensuring that every (Date Palms) has water, pulling occasional weeds, checking pumps, filling out checklist. All jobs are done under the direction of the foreman and supervisor to ensure quality of the work.

How to apply

Apply directly with the employer named above. Workmerica is not an agency, takes no fee and is not involved in this hiring.

Open the original job order

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Seasonal Jobs.

What that comes to in a month

At forty hours a week, the rate in this filing works out at about $2,650 a month before tax. That is the standard full-time month of 173 hours; overtime, deductions and the cost of getting there are not in it.

How the work permit works in the United States

Employer-sponsored temporary or permanent labor certification. The employer files with the Department of Labor first. Which programme applies depends on the work and whether it is seasonal.

Published by U.S. Department of Labor, foreign labor certification