Agricultural Inspectors
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $29K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $34K
Median Salary: $46K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $58K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $72K
Demand
Core Tasks
Set standards for the production of meat or poultry products or for food ingredients, additives, or compounds used to prepare or package products.
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 food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.
Label and seal graded products and issue official grading certificates.
Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.
Take emergency actions, such as closing production facilities, if product safety is compromised.
Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.
Examine, weigh, and measure commodities, such as poultry, eggs, meat, or seafood to certify qualities, grades, and weights.
Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.
Inspect or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.
Monitor the grading performed by company employees to verify conformance to standards.
Direct or monitor the quarantine and treatment or destruction of plants or plant products.
Set labeling standards and approve labels for meat or poultry products.
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.
Review and monitor foreign product inspection systems in countries of origin to ensure equivalence to the U.S. system.
Inquire about pesticides or chemicals to which animals may have been exposed.
Provide consultative services in areas such as equipment or product evaluation, plant construction or layout, or food safety systems.
Testify in legal proceedings.
Compare product recipes with government-approved formulas or recipes to determine acceptability.
Advise farmers or growers of development programs or new equipment or techniques to aid in quality production.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
71%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
67%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical
67%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Law and Government
67%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Mathematics
65%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Public Safety and Security
65%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language
63%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
59%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Food Production
59%
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Computers and Electronics
58%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Top 10 Skills
Quality Control Analysis
83%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Active Listening
75%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring
75%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
75%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
73%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
70%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making
65%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Operations Monitoring
65%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Complex Problem Solving
63%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Top 10 Abilities
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Near Vision
78%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension
78%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
75%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
73%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Far Vision
70%
The ability to see details at a distance.
Flexibility of Closure
70%
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Speech Clarity
70%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Top 10 Work Activities
Documenting/Recording Information
90%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
89%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
89%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Getting Information
87%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
85%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
81%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
80%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Interacting With Computers
79%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
78%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
78%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Detailed Work Activities
Inspect products or operations to ensure that standards are met.
Advise others on farming or forestry operations, regulations, or equipment.
Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.
Mark agricultural or forestry products for identification.
Package agricultural products for shipment or further processing.
Warn individuals about rule violations or safety concerns.
Measure physical characteristics of forestry or agricultural products.
Examine animals to detect illness, injury or other problems.
Maintain operational records.
Direct activities of agricultural, forestry, or fishery employees.
Collect biological specimens.
Send information, materials or documentation.
Identify environmental concerns.
Testify at legal or legislative proceedings.
Work Context
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Education
Interests
Realistic
96%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional
62%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative
58%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising
48%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
24%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic
19%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
94%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
93%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail
90%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
86%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control
84%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Concern for Others
78%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Stress Tolerance
78%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
77%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
76%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence
76%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Work Values
Achievement
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Support
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Recognition
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
60%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
