Agricultural Inspectors
The occupation Agricultural Inspectors covers people who inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on quality control analysis, reading comprehension, and monitoring. The job can ask you to inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety. With a code of RCI, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.2 out of 7. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Main tasks
- Inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety.
- Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
- Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.
- Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.
- Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.
- Collect samples from animals, plants, or products and route them to laboratories for microbiological assessment, ingredient verification, or other testing.
Skills
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
- You are comfortable relying on quality control analysis and reading comprehension.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want a career built on years of advanced study.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCI takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Agricultural Commodities Grader (ACG)
- Agricultural Products Agent
- Apiary Inspector
- Brand Inspector
- CSI (Consumer Safety Inspector)
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.