Agriculture & Food Inspector

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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 keep up with food safety rules and help businesses fix problems if they aren’t following the law.

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 lucky because my job lets me visit new places almost every day. I check out different food facilities to make sure they’re safe, then head back to the office to write reports. It’s a cool mix of being out in the field and doing work at a desk.

Workplace

Indoor / Outdoor

Job Requirements & Duties

  • Watch how employees handle food to make sure they’re following safety rules and doing things the right way
  • 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 being sent 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 required for this job.
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Job Outlook

    This job has a good future because people will always need safe food. Making sure food is handled properly will always be important.

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

Even though I work for a strong team, I usually visit food businesses on my own. For this job, it’s important to be confident working by yourself and to trust your judgment.

interpersonal-man-people-communication-Relation

Interpersonal

I meet new people every day, so being friendly, a good listener, and easy to talk are essential skills.

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