Occupation Details
Agricultural Inspectors
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
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Interests
Realistic
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.
Investigative
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.
Conventional
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.
Work Values
Achievement
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.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$47,240.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$65,950.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$80,020.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
350
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
390
+4 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
63
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
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 Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
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.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
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, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Milk Laboratory Technician, Certified Milk Inspector and Milk Receiver
Learn MoreApprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening
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
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
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
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.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Public Safety and Security
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
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Agricultural dividers
- Bacon bomb samplers
- Barley pearlers
- Beam scales
- Bean sack triers
- Block weights
- Bulk lot triers
- Cargo trucks
- Counterpoise weights
- Dehairing machines
- Desktop computers
- Digital cameras
- Diverter samplers
- Dockage testers
- Double tube bag triers
- Electronic mass comparators
- Ellis cup samplers
- Equal-arm scales
- Extension ladders
- Flour triers
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Grain hopper scales
- Hand sieves
- Hard hats
- Light meters
- Moisture detectors
- Moisture scales
- Near infrared NIR analyzers
- Nuclear magnetic resonance NMR systems
- Oil samplers
Technology
- Image processing software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- examine animals to detect illness, disease, or injury
- testify in court for accident and criminal cases
- recommend improvements to work methods or procedures
- recommend action to ensure compliance
- advise farmers or growers of development programs or techniques
- collect samples for testing
- prepare reports
- prepare reports of inspections
- measure, weigh, or count products or materials
- detect infractions of rules
- inspect growing environment
- monitor animal health or quality
- inspect crops or fields
- use quality assurance techniques
- inspect crops to determine quality
- determine wholesomeness or grade of products
- determine the quality of food or beverages
- examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
- inspect meat or meat products
- identify crop characteristics
- recognize disease or parasites in animals
- recognize public safety hazards
- gather physical evidence
- inspect products or systems for regulatory compliance
- perform safety inspections in agricultural, forestry, or fishing setting
- inspect facilities or equipment for regulatory compliance
- record test results, test procedures, or inspection data
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Set standards for the production of meat or poultry products or for food ingredients, additives, or compounds used to prepare or package products.
- Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.
- Inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety.
- 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.
- Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.
- Examine, weigh, and measure commodities, such as poultry, eggs, meat, or seafood to certify qualities, grades, and weights.
- 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.
- Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.
- Set labeling standards and approve labels for meat or poultry products.
- Direct or monitor the quarantine and treatment or destruction of plants or plant products.
- 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.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Agricultural workers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn MoreSci4Kids
Bridging the gap between science, agriculture, and kids, Sci4Kids is geared to children ages 8 to 13. The site is a series of interactive stories based on research projects featured in Agricultural Research. Themes include transportation, weird science, cities, aquaculture and more!
Learn More