Agricultural inspector
Also known as: farm assessor, agriculture auditor, farm inspector, agricultural auditor, agriculture assessor, agricultural production inspector
About this occupation
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.
Essential skills and knowledge
- collect samples for analysis
- health, safety and hygiene legislation
- agricultural production principles
- pollution prevention
- ensure compliance with legal requirements
- agronomical production principles
- conduct environmental surveys
- enforce sanitation procedures
- write work-related reports
- communicate health and safety measures
- incidents and accidents recording
- follow up complaint reports
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Agricultural Inspectors (O*NET 45-2011.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety.
- Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.
- Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.
- Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Quality Control Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Speaking
US median pay: US$49,940 a year (2025), 14,410 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.4)
- Government and PoliticsO*NET: Law and GovernmentImportant (3.3)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.2)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Construction and Building Inspectors
- Food Science Technicians
- First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
- Aviation Inspectors
- Agricultural Technicians
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. 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. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.