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Occupation AtlasAgricultural Inspectors

O*NET · 45-2011.00

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.

Also called ACG · Agricultural Commodities Grader (ACG) · Agricultural Commodities Inspector · Agricultural Commodity Grader (ACG) · Agricultural Products Agent · Agriculture Inspector · Apiary Inspector · Brand Inspector
38 more

Cattle Examiner · Cattle Inspector · Cotton Inspector · CSI · CSI (Consumer Safety Inspector) · Dairy Inspector · Eggs Inspector · Fertilizer Specialist · Field Disease and Insect Control Inspector · Field Inspector · Fish Hatchery Inspector · Fish Inspector · Flour Inspector · Food Inspector · Food Product Inspector · Food Safety Auditor · Food Safety Inspector · Fruit Inspector · FSIS Inspector · FSIS Inspector (Food Safety and Inspection Service Inspector) · Grain Inspector · Land Inspector · Livestock Brands Inspector · Livestock Inspector · Logging Operations Inspector (Logging Ops Inspector) · Logging Ops Inspector · Meat Inspector · Milk Inspector · Milk Tester · Plant Inspector · Poultry Grader · Poultry Inspector · Shipping Point Inspector · Tobacco Classer · Tobacco Grader · Tree Inspector · Vegetable Inspector · Wheat Inspector

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.35
  • C Conventional5.17
  • I Investigative4.04
  • E Enterprising3.12
  • S Social1.89
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma7%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent56%
  • Some College Courses13%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree12%
  • Bachelor's Degree10%
  • First Professional Degree2%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (23%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (26%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (26%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Quality Control Analysis4.13.9Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
  • Monitoringbasic3.84.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Active Listeningbasic3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Speakingbasic3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Active Learningbasic3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Operations Monitoring3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Writingbasic3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Complex Problem Solving3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Systems Analysis3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Determine how a new piece of equipment will affect production rates
Show the other 23
  • Systems Evaluation3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Identify the reasons why a client might be unhappy with a product
  • Coordination3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Instructing3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Persuasion2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Time Management2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Negotiation2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Sciencebasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Social Perceptiveness2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Mathematicsbasic2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Operation and Control2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Troubleshooting2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Operations Analysis1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Management of Material Resources1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Management of Financial Resources1.60.8
  • Programming1.50.5
  • Equipment Selection1.1—
  • Equipment Maintenance1.0—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—

Tasks

8 core · 14 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety.4.5
  2. Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.4.5
  3. Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.4.4
  4. Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.4.4
  5. Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.4.2
  6. Collect samples from animals, plants, or products and route them to laboratories for microbiological assessment, ingredient verification, or other testing.4.1
  7. Examine, weigh, and measure commodities, such as poultry, eggs, meat, or seafood to certify qualities, grades, and weights.4.0
  8. Provide consultative services in areas such as equipment or product evaluation, plant construction or layout, or food safety systems.3.9
Show the other 14
  1. Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.4.7
  2. Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.4.5
  3. Take emergency actions, such as closing production facilities, if product safety is compromised.4.5
  4. Label and seal graded products and issue official grading certificates.4.5
  5. Compare product recipes with government-approved formulas or recipes to determine acceptability.4.3
  6. Review and monitor foreign product inspection systems in countries of origin to ensure equivalence to the U.S. system.4.3
  7. Inspect or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.4.2
  8. Monitor the grading performed by company employees to verify conformance to standards.4.2
  9. Set standards for the production of meat or poultry products or for food ingredients, additives, or compounds used to prepare or package products.4.2
  10. Direct or monitor the quarantine and treatment or destruction of plants or plant products.4.2
  11. Inquire about pesticides or chemicals to which animals may have been exposed.4.2
  12. Set labeling standards and approve labels for meat or poultry products.4.1
  13. Advise farmers or growers of development programs or new equipment or techniques to aid in quality production.4.0
  14. Testify in legal proceedings.3.7

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service3.54.5Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Administration and Management3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Administrative3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Law and Government3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • English Language3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Mathematics3.23.6Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Public Safety and Security3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Computers and Electronics2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
Show all 33
  • Education and Training2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Food Production2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Operate a commercial fishing boat
  • Production and Processing2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Transportation2.82.6
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.62.8
  • Biology2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Communications and Media2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Engineering and Technology2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Mechanical2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Psychology2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Chemistry2.22.3Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Geography2.12.3Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Telecommunications2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Economics and Accounting1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Foreign Language1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Building and Construction1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Design1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Sales and Marketing1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Therapy and Counseling1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Philosophy and Theology1.41.1Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Physics1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Fine Arts1.2—
  • History and Archeology1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Problem Sensitivity4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Deductive Reasoning3.93.9
  • Inductive Reasoning3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Near Vision3.93.8
  • Oral Comprehension3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Written Comprehension3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Far Vision3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
Show all 52
  • Flexibility of Closure3.53.8Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Speech Clarity3.53.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Perceptual Speed3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Speech Recognition3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Category Flexibility3.13.6Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Information Ordering3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Speed of Closure3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Written Expression3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Auditory Attention3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Selective Attention3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.92.6
  • Fluency of Ideas2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Time Sharing2.82.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visualization2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Finger Dexterity2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Originality2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Manual Dexterity2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Multilimb Coordination2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Control Precision2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Number Facility2.42.3Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Depth Perception2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Trunk Strength2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Extent Flexibility2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Memorization2.12.3Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Rate Control2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Dynamic Strength2.01.1Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Spatial Orientation2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Stamina2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Static Strength2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Peripheral Vision1.90.9
  • Response Orientation1.91.6Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Glare Sensitivity1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Sound Localization1.80.9
  • Night Vision1.60.9
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Explosive Strength1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.54.9Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.54.2Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.44.6Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Getting Information4.34.8Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.34.8Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.05.0Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.04.4Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
Show all 41
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.94.8Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Working with Computers3.93.4Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.84.6Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Processing Information3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.64.3Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Training and Teaching Others3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.42.6
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.43.8Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.12.6
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.02.9
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.03.8Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Developing and Building Teams2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.72.8
  • Thinking Creatively2.72.8
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.52.6
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Operate a cash register
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.11.2Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.4—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others4.6
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.3
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.3
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.2
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.2
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.1
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.0
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.0
  • Telephone Conversations4.0

Technology

9 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (2)

  • Microsoft Excelhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (4; 2 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (3)
  • Image processing software
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Operational databases

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Construction and Building Inspectors
  2. Food Science Technicians
  3. First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
  4. Aviation Inspectors
  5. Agricultural Technicians
  6. Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
  7. Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
  8. Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
  9. Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
  10. Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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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. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.