Occupation Profile

Agricultural Inspectors

(SOC Code : 45-2011)

in California

Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with Work experience in a related occupation .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$22.74	$17.67	$21.88	$29.09

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	2,300	2,400	100	4.4	80

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Livestock Meat Inspector License

Department of Food and Agriculture
Division of Animal Health and Food Safety Services
Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch
www.www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Meat_and_Poultry_Inspection/index.html

Poultry Meat Inspector License

Department of Food and Agriculture
Division of Animal Health and Food Safety Services
Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch
www.www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Meat_and_Poultry_Inspection/index.html

Processing Inspector License

Department of Food and Agriculture
Division of Animal Health and Food Safety Services
Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch
www.www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Meat_and_Poultry_Inspection/index.html

About Licenses

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Management & Technical Consulting Svc

28,222

2.0%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Agricultural and Food Products Processing

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

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 or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.

Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.

Collect samples from animals, plants, or products and route them to laboratories for microbiological assessment, ingredient verification, or other testing.

Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.

Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.

Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.

Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.

Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.

Take emergency actions, such as closing production facilities, if product safety is compromised.

More Tasks for Agricultural Inspectors

Top Skills used in this Job

Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

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.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Problem Sensitivity - 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.

Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

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.

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.

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