1. Agricultural Careers Commodity Inspector By: Dr. Frank Flanders and Trisha Rae Stephens Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Georgia Department of Education June 2005 START

2. Job Duties & Responsibilities Travel frequently to visit farms and processing facilities May work at ports, inspecting cargo on the docks or on boats Discuss observations with plant managers and show what areas need correction Conduct reports of inspection data and possibly collect evidence to be used in court if legal action is necessary Recommend to growers and processors new equipment and procedures that promote quality production Examine, weigh, and measure commodities to verify wholesomeness, grade, and weight

3. Qualities and Skills Able to lift and carry moderate weights Able to work a 40 work week Able to travel to worksites Able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing Should enjoy detailed work Have the ability to interpret and apply standards, rules, and regulations relative to their work Need to be responsible and able to work alone or with a group Ability to observe critically, obtain accurate data, and prepare reports Correct color vision is needed and the ability to determine amount, shade, and type of color

4. Salary Median hourly earnings of agricultural inspectors were $13.76 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $10.44 and $18.79. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.10, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $23.94.

5. Work Environment Considerable travel by automobile is required Perform work mostly in warehouses, terminals, processing plants, and other inspection stations Possibly requires employees to tolerate extremes in temperature Sometimes have to be able to work long and irregular hours May possibly be in adversary roles if individual or organization does not comply fully to inspection

6. Becoming a Commodity Inspector Becoming a commodity inspector requires relevant work experience or some college course work in a field such as biology or agricultural science. All inspectors are trained in applicable laws and inspection procedures through a combination of classroom and on-the-job training.

7. Career Resources Food and Drug Administration Office of Consumer Affairs 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, Maryland 20857 Internet: http://www.fda.gov Food and Safety Inspection Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, DC 20250-3700 Internet: http://www.fsis.usda.gov