How to Become a Agricultural Inspector

An agricultural inspector examines the food processing operations such as reports of logging, fishing, and farming operations to make sure that the food received by consumers is healthy for consumption. These food inspectors are responsible for the inspection of meat processing units and ensuring it meets safety standards. An individual who is pursuing a career as agricultural inspector may also be required to measure the quality standards of shipment of agriculture and farm products before it crosses the border to be sold in another state or country.  

The Agricultural inspectors have to remain in contact with the personnel working on the samples of the agricultural products taken for inspection, draft a report about their findings, and suggest applicable health recommendations to farmers, and other authoritative bodies.

Examining food

Agriculture inspector examines agriculture commodities and related operations such as fish and logging operations to ensure the operations compliance with law and regulations of government's health, safety and quality standards.

Livestock examination

A large number of people in our country consume dairy and other animal products. Hence, it is important to ensure that the livestock from whom we take our dairy and other products are not infected with any kind of disease which can be harmful to human beings. So it is the responsibility of the agricultural inspector to examine the livestock and ensure that they are healthy.

Ensuring cleanliness

Ensuring cleanliness is another important job responsibility of an agricultural inspector. Slaughterhouses or poultry and dairy farms can be a ground for various diseases which can be quite harmful to human beings. Hence, it is important for them to be clean. An agricultural inspector ensures that such places are clean and that conditions are hygienic. 

Inspection

A career as agricultural inspectors inspects the transportation and handling procedure to ensure it meets all the regulatory requirements. Inspecting horticultural products and livestock to detect harmful disease, infestation or growth rate. Agriculture inspectors also examine livestock to determine the effectiveness of medication and feeding programmes. 

Testing

As an agricultural inspector, it is important for the individual to conduct several tests in order to maintain quality. A career as agricultural inspectors collects samples from livestock, plants, and other products such as the feed given to the animal and sends it to laboratories for testing the purposes. Periodic tests conducted by them also help in the prevention of widespread disease among the animals.

Ensuring quality

In a country like India, where there are crores to feed, quality is often the first victim to the problem of such a large population. As an agricultural inspector, it is his or her duty to regularly inspect food processing plants or food manufacturing factories. Bad quality food or ingredients such as additives and compounds that are used to prepare food products can spell disaster for a nation.

Issuing certificates

Issuing official grading certificates, labelling and sealing graded products as per the regulatory standards.

Legal proceedings

In an event where there is a violation of food laws, an agricultural inspector might be required to take part in the legal proceedings and provide evidence in the form of test reports. 

Report writing

Report writing is again an important aspect of an agricultural inspector's job profile. Writing reports of discoveries or findings during tests or recommending and advising farmers about a particular method; it is all done by the agricultural inspector. Sometimes the reports also include the crop growing procedures or safety regulations. 

There are similar types of a gricultural inspector in the agricultural and food processing industry. We have mentioned below several agricultural inspector career options related to the same field. 

Plant and Quality Control Technician: The plant and quality control technician is required to examine and test the samples of raw materials and products to ensure he or she meets all the standards regularised by various government bodies. Expertise in lab skills helps the technicians to bag a good amount of salary. No doubt, the experience is necessary to work in senior positions. 

Meat Inspector: As the name suggests, a meat inspector examines meat products such as beef, pork, seafood, poultry, and other items. It is required to ensure that the meat processing follows standard quality assurance regulations. Meat inspectors are also a type of agricultural inspector, examining livestock to ensure that it is not infected with any disease before getting slaughtered. 

Animal Health Technician: Animal health technicians work for animals’ health and ensure that the animal is fit. In other words, the animal health technician is similar to a nurse to humans. They also work with veterinarians, scientists, and researchers. The Animal health technicians conduct surgeries on prepping animals, administer medications, carry out lab tests, and record medical history. 

Agricultural Manager: All aspects of operating farms and other facilities that grow crops are managed by an agricultural manager. Planning, supervising, and occasionally engaging in the process of planting, fertilization, and harvesting are some of their tasks. One of the largest industries and a strong source of jobs throughout the country is the profession of agriculture. In the Indian economy, agriculture also plays a vital role. It supports the efficient production of high-quality foodstuffs in the agricultural food and farming industries.

Agricultural Technician: To help farmers operate their businesses, a career as agricultural technician is the right option. He or she is expected to use their knowledge of agricultural technology to find the most cost-effective way to manage their land. A career as agricultural technician provides farmers with advice and information about their agricultural technology companies, choosing crops based on soil conditions, learning to manage weeds, helping farmers pick the right livestock, performing laboratory tests, and taking field samples.

Agricultural Engineer: A agricultural engineer plays a vital role in seeking solutions to different farming problems and also in meeting people's agricultural demands. In terms of sustainability, protection, and environmental friendliness, agricultural engineers design and develop new farming techniques and equipment that help make farming more effective. With the aid of new and advanced technology, they improve farming production.

Farm Manager: A farm manager reviews existing operations, crops, livestock, staff, and financial records and recommends improvements to them. He or she makes planting and harvesting plans and schedules and ensures that employees' expectations are heard. In order to inspect crops, and animals and even administer soil and water tests, farm managers visit the different divisions.

Agricultural inspectors work for long hours, their working hours often extend the regular nine hours of a day. Agricultural inspectors spend much of their time in food-or-meat processing plants. They are required to travel from farms to ports to conduct an inspection of cargo on boats, anchored on the docks. During on-site visits such as inspection of premises of food processing entities, the inspector performs checks on the environment, building, and machinery of the entity. 

As the food inspector job involves finding the food processing or meat processing entities violating the rules and regulations, inspectors often have to deal with hostile individuals and unpleasant situations. Senior-level agriculture inspectors are also required to give guidance to farmers about developments in farming techniques. 

Word of Caution

One job hazard which comes with being an agriculture inspector is that he or she is more likely to get infected by contagious diseases. As they are constantly involved in the interaction with numerous people and require frequent travelling for office work. Food inspectors also have to be in noisy surroundings while examining the machinery. A career as agricultural inspector involves being exposed to unhygienic conditions such as rotten food ingredients or food-related microorganisms causing diseases, pollution, extreme temperature, and odors.

Does Agricultural Inspector require travelling?

Likely

An agriculture inspector’s job involves both types of work on desk and fieldwork as per requirements. An agriculture inspector's work hours are spent in the field visiting farms, food factories and warehouses, ports, and other food processing entities for inspection. His or her career demands travelling to farmlands, and companies such as food processing and meat processing entities.  An agricultural inspector is often required to visit the ports, farmlands, and food processing entities to check the sanitary conditions, and food quality before being packed and to ensure that all the standards and safety measures are taken into consideration.

Employment Shifts

Full Time

An agricultural inspector usually works for about five days a week, with a nine-hour shift. He or she most of the time requires to extend official working hours due to work responsibilities. A career as Agricultural Inspector demands travelling and visiting different places for the inspection and examination of processed food imports and exports. Occasionally, it may also require an overnight stay away from the home. 

Employment Nature

Permanent

An agricultural inspector career provides permanent job opportunities and comes with full-time work responsibility in government departments. In private firms, it comes with contractual as well as permanent employment. Working from home or hourly basis work is not familiar with this career.

Work Place

On-Field

A career as agricultural inspector is often required one to be on the field most of the time.  Agricultural inspectors are either visiting farmlands for inspection or food processing plants for various checks. Hence it is a job where most of the time is spent working in the field.

Presence in Geographical Area

Rural

There are more opportunities in rural areas where agriculture is considered one of the prime occupations. The industrial areas where food processing or meat processing units are set up and can also provide good opportunities for agricultural inspectors and other relevant career options. Food processing units or meat processing units are mostly set up in urban areas, therefore it is concluded that there are growing opportunities for this career in rural as well as urban areas. 

Time Pressure

Not Likely

There is hardly any time pressure for agricultural inspectors. Agricultural inspectors are required to work as per their schedule which includes responsibilities and inspections assigned to them. The time pressure is almost negligible in the job except for inspection days when the supervisors cross-verify the work of agricultural inspectors.

Overtime Details

In agricultural inspector jobs, individuals need to work for 9 hours per day. He or she usually works in indoor settings going through the files and documents of various agricultural projects. However, during inspection days he or she might be required to work overtime because of traveling inconveniences.

Weekly Hours of Work

Min 45 Hours

A career as agricultural inspector work hours normally extends 45 hours per week. It comes with both a desk and a field job. It often extends the official working hours or nine hours a day due to long travelling hours and field inspection.

Do you know about the requirements to become an agricultural inspector? If you are planning to opt for a career as agricultural inspector inspection career and do not know how to become a agricultural inspector, then this section is for you. You must possess several skills needed for efficient functioning as a agricultural inspector.  Have a look at these primary agricultural inspector skills. 

Quality Control: An agricultural inspector is required to conduct tests and inspect the products and processes to evaluate the quality of the food material being processed.

Reading Skills: An agriculture inspector is required to read the documents and reports drafted after lab assessment and the safety measures regularised by government authorities.

Listening: An agricultural inspector must be a good listener to nullify any communication gap between the workers or owner of the food processing entity and himself or herself.

Supervisory skills: An agricultural inspector is required to monitor the food processing activities from packaging to delivering the food to consumers such as adding preservatives to keep the food fresh, packing, transportation, and other activities related to food safety standards. 

Critical thinking: An agriculture inspector is required to have the critical thinking ability to determine the weakness and strengths of the solutions to the problem using logic and reasoning.

We have mentioned below certifications that individuals may opt for who want to establish a career as an Agricultural Inspector.

You may acquire various roles in the food industry with experience. Some of the types of a agricultural inspector or careers related to it are mentioned below with varying job titles and responsibilities. 

Assistant Agriculture Inspector (AAI): The assistant agricultural inspector is an important member of the Inspectorate team. The assistant agricultural inspector is assigned prime responsibilities such as providing scientific expertise for the development of the food sector. Assistant agricultural inspector job opportunities are available in the following specializations such as pest risk analysis, entomology, bee health, nematology, and plant pathology (bacteriology).

Sub Inspector: Agriculture sub inspector works under the agriculture inspector. He or she stays in contact with farmers and collects applications for requests for soil conservation and other required documents. Sub agriculture inspector carries surveys and collects data required for the preparation of plans and estimates. He or she prepares a contour plan as required based on the data collected through surveys.

Village Level Extension Worker (VLEW): Village Level Extension Worker is responsible for improving crop productivity and ensuring that every farmland keeps harmony with the environment such as protecting soil, water, and other natural resources. In India, a VLEW is usually in charge of eight areas. These areas consist of 8 to 10 villages A VLEW works with progressive farmers of different socio-economic backgrounds and provides them guidance and training to improve crop production.

Primary Investigator (PI): Primary Investigator is responsible to make sure standard operating procedures are developed for toxic chemicals and other operations. He or she also ensures to assign an expert to oversee safety measures in the laboratory. The person who is responsible for overseeing safety inside the laboratory is known as the Research Safety Officer.

Field Assistant (FTS): The field assistant’s job responsibilities include assisting field managers with daily farm operations and maintenance. A field assistant is required to maintain crop and site tools or equipment. He or she is responsible for preparing beds, planting, watering, harvesting, amending the soil, weeding, thinning, and pest as well as disease prevention of crops.

Field Investigator (M&E): Field Investigator conducts a field survey according to the instructions given by senior officials of the department. Based on the data of the report prepared by field investigators various government schemes and programmes are planned, drafted, and executed.

Agricultural inspector jobs have less growth as compared to other professions. There are lesser hirings in government departments. No doubt, there will always be requirements for agriculture inspectors. The jobs are limited in the agricultural industry with projected job growth of two per cent. The growth in population and education may increase the demand for agricultural inspector in the market. The advancement in technology used in processing methods has lowered the potential job growth in the agriculture inspector  job market. The development in technology has upgraded the machinery used in food processing and hence decreased the career opportunities of agriculture inspectors. 

It is expected that numerous agriculture inspectors would retire in the next few years and hence there will be vacancies in the near future. After gaining several years of experience the agriculture inspector could be promoted to a more senior position. An agricultural inspector can also switch to other fields such as public health or conservation.

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