Agriculture & Food Inspector

Organize

Food safety involves everyone in the food chain. 

Mike Johanns
Agriculture & Food Inspector

In A Nutshell

I visit food production sites to make sure food is being handled in a way that is safe and healthy for the people who will eat it.

I stay up to date with laws and regulations, and help businesses that are not following the law make the necessary changes to their operations and environment.

I write reports on all the businesses I visit and keep records so the public knows the food they are eating is safe.

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Potential Salary Range

$37,000 - 93,000 Annually

Which provinces would this job be in?

Alberta AB
Alberta
British Columbia BC
British Columbia
Manitoba MB
Manitoba
New Brunswick NB
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
Nova Scotia NS
Nova Scotia
Nunavut NU
Nunavut
Northwest Territories NWT
Northwest Territories
Ontario ON
Ontario
Prince Edward Island PEI
Prince Edward Island
Quebec QC
Quebec
Saskwatchewan SK
Saskwatchewan
Yukon Territories YT
Yukon Territories

I’m really lucky in that I get to travel to new environments every day with my job. I review different facilities, and then go back to the office to write reports. It’s a great combination of hands-on experience and office work. 

Workplace

Indoor / Outdoor

Job Requirements & Duties

  • Watch employees handle and prepare food to ensure that they are following safety regulations
  • Make sure foods that are being sold to the public are labelled properly
  • Inspect commercial food products and make sure they aren’t contaminated
  • Inspect equipment and facilities for safety risks and health hazards
  • Inspect animals that are going for slaughter and make sure they are healthy and disease-free
  • Record findings and write reports based on facility visits

Education & Training

  • A university degree in science or food science is necessary for this job.
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Job Outlook

    The outlook for this job in the next ten years is considered to be good. We will always need to be making sure that people have access to safe food.

Related School Subjects

Science
Health Education
Career Education

What words come to mind when thinking about this career?

Health Safety Law Inspection Food

Important Skills

Independence

While I do work for a well-supported organization, I visit businesses and facilities by myself. It’s important to feel comfortable working independently and trusting your own instincts for this job.

interpersonal-man-people-communication-Relation

Interpersonal

I meet and work with different people every day in all kinds of industries, so enjoying connecting with people is a must.

Detail-Oriented icon

Detail-Oriented

My goal is to find and address potential health risks - big or small, so it’s valuable to have a keen eye for detail.

Written Communications

An important part of the job is writing reports of the facilities I visit, so having strong writing skills is a big help.

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The Best Things About This Job Are…

Independent Work
Has Business Perks
Regular Hours
Opportunity to Travel
Routine Work