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Agricultural inspector

Alternative titles for this job include

Agricultural inspectors make sure animal welfare and environmental standards are followed in farms and dairies.

Average salary (a year)

£23,000 Starter

to

£40,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

38 to 40 a week

You could work

evenings away from home

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • applying directly

University

You could start by taking a degree in a relevant subject like:

  • science
  • maths
  • environmental health
  • agriculture

Some universities offer a foundation degree in agriculture as preparation for working in the agricultural sector.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

College

The following courses may help you to work towards this role:

  • Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Agriculture
  • Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Agriculture

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

More Information

Direct Application

To apply directly to become an agricultural inspector, you'll usually need A levels or equivalent and at least 2 years' relevant work experience, for example as an agricultural machine operator.

A professional qualification in health and safety would also be useful, for example a course offered through NEBOSH or IOSH.

More Information

Career tips

You're most likely to find jobs with a government-related agency, for instance:

Further information

You can find more details about working as an agricultural inspector from Tasty Careers and The Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • the ability to analyse quality or performance
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day to day duties will depend on where you work.

For the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), you could:

  • check machinery, buildings and the working environment
  • investigate accidents and complaints
  • write reports and make recommendations

For the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), you could:

  • collect and analyse data
  • check record keeping on farms
  • investigate animal welfare concerns
  • plan the control and prevention of animal disease

For food assurance standards, you could:

  • inspect the health and welfare of livestock
  • check food crop production methods
  • ensure records and documents are kept up to date

Working environment

You could work in an office or on a farm.

Your working environment may be noisy and dirty.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a manager or work as a consultant in occupational health.

You could also specialise in areas like public health or conservation. Salaries for specialist work can sometimes be higher.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for an agricultural inspector right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Agriculture

  • Provider: NORTH KENT COLLEGE
  • Start date: 08 September 2025
  • Location: Tonbridge

BTEC National Diploma in Agriculture

  • Provider: KINGSTON MAURWARD COLLEGE
  • Start date: 09 September 2025
  • Location: Dorchester
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

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