Agricultural Inspectors
Agricultural inspectors inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Agriculture inspectors keep agricultural practices in check by enforcing statutory regulations regarding health, safety and quality standards for food safety and public health.
They examine agriculture commodities and related operations such as fish and logging operations to determine whether products are safe to eat, interpret and enforce government acts and regulations, and explain the required standards to agricultural workers.
Agricultural inspectors set standards for production and issue certificates. Some of the inspected elements include meat, additives, compounds and ingredients used in packaging, seals and labels of products among others. Moreover, they check for toxic compounds in the food industry and improper processing procedures that result in low food quality and inspect the quantum of fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides used in plantations or farms and compare it with what is allowed.
A high school diploma is the minimum qualification required to become a food inspector. Knowledge of laws, legal codes, procedures, precedents, regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the political process answers your query on how to become a food inspector. Other qualities which make a candidate liable for an agricultural inspector salary include people skills, effective communication, knowledge of maths and science, and the ability to solve problems.
To be successful in agricultural inspector jobs, one should possess flexibility, physical and mental endurance, and attention to detail.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- M.Tech Agricultural Engineering
- B.Tech Agriculture Engineering and Technology
- B.Sc. Horticulture
- B.Sc. Soil Science
- B.Sc. Agronomy
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.
- Inspect or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.
- Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.
- Collect samples from animals, plants, or products and route them to laboratories for microbiological assessment, ingredient verification, or other testing.
- Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
- Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.
- Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.
- Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.
- Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.
- Take emergency actions, such as closing production facilities, if product safety is compromised.
Progression Routes
READY FOR MORE?
Subscribe to our Premium package and you'll unlock a wealth of extra information about your favourite careers and gain access our library of immersive 360° VR careers experience.
As a Premium user you'll find out more about the day-to-day demands of any career, what you could earn and, importantly, receive expert advice on study routes, preparation expenses, and where & what to study to fulfil your potential.