You could start by taking a degree in a relevant subject like:
- science
- maths
- engineering
- environmental health
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels for a degree
Agricultural inspector
Agricultural inspectors make sure animal welfare regulations are followed in farms and dairies.
Average salary (a year)
£23,000 Starter
to£50,000 Experienced
Typical hours (a week)
38 to 40 a week
You could work
evenings away from home
How to become an agricultural inspector
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- applying directly
University
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 in agricultural engineering.
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:
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
- Heath and Safety Executive
- Red Tractor scheme
Further information
You can find more details about working as an agricultural inspector from Tasty Careers.
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
- being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
For the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), your day-to-day duties could include:
- checking machinery, buildings and the environment
- investigating accidents and complaints
- writing reports and making recommendations
- giving evidence in court
For the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), your day-to-day duties could include:
- collecting and analysing data
- checking record keeping on farms
- investigating animal welfare concerns
- planning the control and prevention of animal and poultry disease
For food assurance inspection, your day-to-day duties could include checking:
- the health and welfare of livestock
- crop management and production methods
- the environmental impact of farming techniques
- animal feed
- livestock shelters are safe and the right size
- animal identification and veterinary treatments
- record keeping and documentation
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
With experience, you could progress to a management role, or work as a consultant in occupational health.You could move into public health or conservation work.
Training 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
Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture
- Provider: BERKSHIRE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
- Start date: 02 September 2019
- Location:
Advanced Technical Diploma in Agriculture - Level 3
- Provider: COLLEGE OF WEST ANGLIA
- Start date: 02 September 2019
- Location: Milton
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