Agricultural Inspectors

Career summary

#No corresponding wois occupation

#4/11/19

Agricultural inspectors keep food out of stores that was handled or grown improperly. They inspect farm livestock, before and after slaughter, to find out if they have diseases. They examine food-processing plants to see if they meet federal regulations. They make sure the plants are sanitary. They check that the prices and weights are accurate. Inspectors test crops for diseases, chemical residue, and various conditions. They test eggs, meat, and seafood to find out if they are safe to eat.

Inspectors also grade, or judge, products. Typically, higher grades mean higher quality. They issue certificates that specify the grade the product received.

Sometimes inspectors have to close plants or production facilities if safety is in question. This usually happens when a food product is recalled. Inspectors help identify the problem so that people don't get hurt or sick from eating the food.

Related careers

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Agricultural Worker Supervisors
• Compliance Officers and Inspectors
• Construction and Building Inspectors
• Energy Auditors
• Food Scientists
• Forestry Technicians
• Manufacturing Production Technicians
• Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
• Precision Agriculture Technicians
• Science Technicians
• Transportation Inspectors

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to agricultural inspectors.

• Set standards for the production of meat and food products and ingredients.
• Inspect farms and food processors to see that they are clean and comply with federal regulations.
• Inspect crops and livestock for disease.
• Examine milk, eggs, meat, and seafood to see that they are safe to eat. Check that grade, price, and weight are correct.
• Examine livestock to see if their feed and medicines are working.
• Make recommendations to farmers, growers, and processors about how to respond to problems.
• Collect samples from animals or goods, and send them to laboratories for disease analysis.
• Report findings from laboratories and inspections.
• Issue official certificates of food grades.
• Give advice on how to improve product safety and increase production.
• Testify in court and at other hearings.
• May respond to consumer complaints about food products.
• May take emergency actions, such as closing a production facility, if necessary.

Common work activities

Agricultural inspectors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Document and record information
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Evaluate information against standards
• Get information needed to do the job
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Use computers
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Process information
• Teach others
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Operate vehicles or mechanized equipment
• Perform for or work with the public
• Analyze data or information
• Perform administrative tasks
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Schedule work and activities

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, agricultural inspectors:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact with customers.
• Speak on the phone or in person on a daily basis.
• Are sometimes in situations where there are disagreements with farmers or processors. Sometimes they have to convince others to make changes or improvements.
• Are somewhat responsible for the health and safety of people. They monitor food safety.

Physical work conditions

• Work mainly outdoors while inspecting crops and livestock, but sometimes work indoors when inspecting food processing plants.
• Often are exposed to pollution, dust, food, and animal odors.
• Wear protective gear on a weekly basis.
• Are exposed to hot or cold temperatures, depending on the weather.
• Sometimes are exposed to machinery sounds and noise levels that are distracting and uncomfortable.
• Are occasionally exposed to hazardous equipment.
• Travel around and to work sites in a truck or farm vehicle.
• Sometimes work near others.

Work performance

• Must be fully complete and accurate in their work. Errors could result in public health risks.
• Repeat the same physical and mental activities.
• Often make decisions that affect workers and the organization they work for. They usually do not consult others before deciding a course of action.
• Usually set their own tasks and goals for the day without talking to a supervisor first.
• Often must meet daily and weekly deadlines.
• Sometimes must match the pace of their work to the speed of equipment.

Hours/travel

• Often travel to farms and processing sites.
• May work long hours to complete inspections and reports.

Physical demands

Agricultural inspectors frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Stand for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.

It is important for agricultural inspectors to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for agricultural inspectors to be able to:

• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.

Skills and abilities

Agricultural inspectors need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Make sense of information that seems without meaning or organization.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Teach others how to do something.

Work with things

• Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.
• Watch gauges, dials, and output to make sure a machine is working properly.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Agriculture, General
• Food Science

Other programs of study to consider

• Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
• Aquaculture
• Biological Sciences, General
• Dairy Science
• Plant Science
• Poultry Science

Training

To work as an agricultural inspector, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree in a related field; and
• complete moderate-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Most students prepare for this field by earning a bachelor's degree. Common fields of study are biology and agricultural science. You should take classes in agriculture, environmental health, and the physical sciences. Also, courses in a foreign language, such as Spanish, may be helpful.

Work experience

Growing up on a farm provides good work experience. It is also helpful if you join clubs such as 4-H or the National FFA Organization while in high school.

Another option is to work as a farm or ranch worker for a few years to gain experience.

On-the-job training

As an agricultural inspector, you receive training on the job. Some of your training takes place in a classroom setting. During training, you learn inspection procedures and agricultural regulations. Training may last up to a year.

Military training

The military hires agricultural inspectors (called environmental health and safety officers), but does not train people for this occupation.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Agricultural Production
• Agronomy
• Animal Science
• Computer Fundamentals
• Plant and Soil Science

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Many employers, including the federal government, require a bachelor's degree for some positions. Many jobs require at least four years of experience in the field. Most states require agricultural inspectors to be licensed, which requires passing an exam.

Inspectors work with a variety of people. Thus, they need to be able to communicate well. Employers prefer people who have negotiation skills and tact. This is because inspectors may be in situations where a group or individual does not want to cooperate.

Licensing/certification

In Washington, grain inspectors must pass an examination specific for the grain inspected and receive a license from the United States Department of Agriculture.

Most states require agricultural inspectors to have a license. Licensing requirements vary by state.

#Verified that inspectors must still pass exams and be licensed by USDA, 2/27/06 & 2/13/08, cj. Here is site that had related info in '08. http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/fgis/fgis.aspx 

#yes, this hasn't changed. 2/27/09 lh. Info still ok, 2/2/10, cj. Reviewed federal inspection regs 2/6/12 - info still ok, cj. Still ok 1/31/14 cj. Still need to be licensed from general info found via WA State Dept of Ag grain inspector job description, but couldn't find individual licensing requirements on WSDA website, 1/30/18 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Agricultural Inspectors 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by area of the country and the inspector's area of specialization.

Agricultural inspectors who work full time generally receive benefits. Common benefits include paid vacation, sick leave, health insurance, and a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About three-quarters of all inspectors work for a government agency.

Major employers:

• Federal, state, and local government agencies
• Meat processing companies

National outlook

Demand for agricultural inspectors is increasing. Most agricultural inspectors work for the government. Job openings may occur in the meat packing industry as consumers ask for better inspections.

Many agricultural inspectors are expected to retire in the next decade. Thus, job prospects should be good for recent graduates in this field.

Other resources

AgCareers.com 
Western USA Office
866.519.7445

Council for Agricultural Science and Technology 
4420 West Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014
515.292.2125

References

Career cluster

• Government and Public Administration

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Agricultural Inspectors (45-2011.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupations

• Field Service Technician, Poultry (411.267-010) 
• Inspector, Agricultural Commodities (168.287-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Realistic/Conventional/Investigative

COPSystem

• Science Skilled