Agricultural inspector

Agricultural inspectors

Description

Agricultural inspectors monitor agricultural operations in farms and other agricultural facilities. They inspect activities such as health and safety measures, costs and production processes to ensure that workers and their activities comply with proper legislation and standards. Agricultural inspectors also analyse and report on their findings.

The duties of an agricultural inspector include, but are not limited to:

  • Assessing how well a facility adheres to local or national regulations related to food safety and public health
  • Evaluating if the amount of fertilizers and pesticides that a farm uses align with regulations
  • Thoroughly inspecting a farm or facility’s equipment, procedures, logging operations and environmental conditions for any potential issues, like pests or incorrectly weighed products, that could affect the safety of people who later eat their food
  • Collecting and analyzing in a laboratory environment samples of food products, such as meat and produce, or products that help develop this food, like fertilizers and soil
  • Instructing farmers, plant employees and others who work at food production facilities on how to safely handle harvesting or manufacturing processes
  • Assigning an official grade if a facility passes its inspection
  • Writing detailed reports about their finding to deliver or present to the leader of their government division or company
  • Conducting research related to optimizing food handling and safety procedures
  • Recommending that facility received temporary or permanent closure if it doesn’t pass the inspection

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to agricultural inspector:

agricultural auditor
farm inspector
farm monitor
agricultural production inspector
agriculture assessor
agricultural examiner
agricultural assessor
agricultural monitor
agriculture auditor
agriculture monitor
farm auditor
agriculture inspector
farm assessor

Working conditions

Agricultural inspectors work long and irregular hours, spending much of their time in food- or meat-processing plants. Others may travel frequently to farms or ports, inspecting cargo on boats or sitting on docks.

Because the job involves finding problems or violations, agricultural inspectors may have to deal with antagonistic individuals and uncomfortable situations. The job can be demanding and very stressful; in essence, an inspector’s work can have important financial and public health consequences.

Minimum qualifications

Entry-level agricultural inspectors are required to have a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers require agricultural inspectors to have an associate or bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agriculture science or a closely related field. These degrees can help agricultural inspectors specialize in a specific area of agriculture, such as dairy farming or livestock.

Most agricultural inspectors will receive on-the-job training from their employer after they are hired. This training will help the inspector learn the specific requirements of the industry they will be inspecting. It will also help them learn how to use the equipment they will need to inspect crops and livestock.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Agricultural inspector is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Agricultural inspector career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to agricultural inspector.

forestry inspector
agricultural technician
railway infrastructure inspector
occupational health and safety inspector
environmental technician

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of agricultural inspector. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of agricultural inspector with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

soil scientist
agronomist
emergency response coordinator
environmental expert
environmental policy officer

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of agricultural inspector.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of agricultural inspector.

  • Communicate health and safety measures: Inform about applicable rules, guidelines and measures to avoid accidents and hazards in the workplace.
  • Ensure compliance with legal requirements: Guarantee compliance with established and applicable standards and legal requirements such as specifications, policies, standards or law for the goal that organisations aspire to achieve in their efforts.
  • Undertake inspections: Undertake safety inspections in areas of concern to identify and report potential hazards or security breaches; take measures to maximise safety standards.
  • Monitor work site: Regularly ensure that working conditions on site meet health and safety requirements; ensure that the proposed work will not pose a threat to the physical integrity of others.
  • Collect samples for analysis: Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.
  • Analyse business processes: Study the contribution of the work processes to the business goals and monitor their efficiency and productivity.
  • Follow up complaint reports: Follow up complaints or accident reports in order to take adequate measures to solve problems. Contact the relevant authorities or internal staff to provide solutions in various situations.
  • Identify hazards in the workplace: Perform safety audits and inspections on workplaces and workplace equipment. Ensure that they meet safety regulations and identify hazards and risks.
  • Enforce sanitation procedures: Ensure standards of sanitation and cleanliness essential to effective control of fungi and other parasites under intensive culture conditions. Obtain uncontaminated fish and eggs by strict sanitary procedures and avoidance of carrier fish. Supervise the isolation and identification of the agent with specific immune antiserum.
  • Perform inspection analysis: Investigate and report on inspection procedures, techniques, equipment and materials.
  • Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
  • Conduct environmental surveys: Conduct surveys in order to collect information for analysis and management of environmental risks within an organisation or in a wider context.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of agricultural inspector. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Quality criteria for storage facilities: Quality criteria for storage facilities such as safe locking systems, ventilation, regularly inspected fireproofing systems, etc.
  • Agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feed products: The offered agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feed products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
  • Food safety principles: Scientific background of food safety which includes preparation, handling, and storage of food to minimise the risk of foodborne illness and other health hazards.
  • Animal welfare: Universally recognized animal welfare needs as applied to species, situation and occupation. These are:
    • need for a suitable environment
    • need for a suitable diet
    • need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
    • need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
    • need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
  • Agricultural equipment: The offered agricultural machinery and equipment products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
  • European pesticide legislation: The EU framework for community action which promotes the sustainable use of pesticides.
  • Budgetary principles: Principles of estimating and planning of forecasts for business activity, compile regular budget and reports.
  • Cost management: The process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.
  • Agricultural chemicals: The production and characteristics of agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or insecticides.
  • Horticulture principles: The standard horticultural practices, including but not limited to planting, pruning, corrective pruning, and fertilisation.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of agricultural inspector. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Monitor crops: Monitor the growth of the crops to ensure the crops are free from diseases, harmful chemicals and organisms.
  • Collect weather-related data: Gather data from satellites, radars, remote sensors, and weather stations in order to obtain information about weather conditions and phenomena.
  • Gather data: Extract exportable data from multiple sources.
  • Develop agricultural production plans: Develop plans for planting, calculate crop input requirements for all stages of the growth.
  • Provide advice to farmers: Provide technical and economical advice in order to optimise the quality and production of agricultural products.
  • Present evidence: Present evidence in a criminal or civil case to others, in a convincing and appropriate manner, in order to reach the right or most beneficial solution.
  • Advise on soil and water protection: Advise on the effects of soil and water management practices in controlling pollutant loss, nitrate leaching and reduce soil erosion.
  • Keep task records: Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
  • Check payment: Control and ensure employees are being paid correctly by their employers.
  • Analyse environmental data: Analyse data that interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects.
  • Provide livestock advice and guidance: Through observation and analysis on the farm, propose options, possible solutions, types and levels of advice required based on the customer’s needs and by using appropriate techniques and methods.
  • Perform food safety checks: Carry out food safety checks in order to assure compliance with requirements, regulations, and other good food manufacturing practices.
  • Conduct field work: Conduct field work or research which is the collection of information outside of a laboratory or workplace setting. Visit places in order to collect specific information about the field.
  • Inspect animal welfare management: Monitor animal health and welfare management and husbandry, and analyse risk factors in relation to animal health, disease and welfare status.
  • Manage maintenance operations: Oversee maintenance activities, making sure that staff is following procedures and ensuring routine and periodic refurbishment and maintenance activities.
  • Manage farm supplies: Manage farm supplies by taking care of the purchase and storing procedures. Select and purchase supplies and equipment such as seeds, livestock feed, fertilisers and farm machinery.
  • Inspect machinery: Check machine equipment for proper performance and detect faults and malfunctions. Diagnose malfunctions using testing equipment to determine the required repair.
  • Assess environmental impact: Monitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation’s environmental risks while taking costs into account.

ISCO group and title

3359 – Regulatory government associate professionals not elsewhere classified


References
  1. Agricultural inspector – ESCO
  2. Agriculture Inspector Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More – Climb the Ladder
  3. How to Become an Agricultural Inspector? – Indeed.com
  4. Agricultural Inspector Job Description – StateUniversity.com
  5. Featured image: By U.S. Customs and Border Protection – CBP Agriculture Specialist Conducts Pepper Inspections at an El Paso Port of Entry, Public Domain
Last updated on February 1, 2023

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