COLUMBUS, Ohio – For anyone not living on a farm who would love to work with those in agriculture, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) may hold an opportunity.

A visit to the ODA website will show job openings within the organization, positions such as animal health receptionist, natural resources engineer and legal intern. As of press time, ODA needed of agricultural inspectors.

Agricultural inspectors are responsible for inspecting farms, processing facilities and other agricultural operations to ensure compliance with government regulations regarding the health, quality and safety of food products, including monitoring sanitary conditions, checking proper labeling, and taking action to close facilities if safety is compromised.

ODA agricultural inspectors crisscross the state making sure all Ohio producers and facilities are complying with state regulations.

“Every day is very different and I love that,” said ODA Food Safety Inspector Tova Argie. “I’m the type of person who likes to challenge myself and I like to continuously learn. I love this job because almost every single day I’m learning something new and every day I have to challenge myself. I like that because it makes me better at my job.

“There’s a lot of fluidity and flexibility to what I can do. I can adjust the hours or adjust what I’m going to do that day. I like the freedom in that. This is a stable job that provides great benefits and flexibility. We’re essential, we’re needed day in and day out.”

Sara Wilkins, ODA dairy inspector, said, “My job is not at all a static job. It’s very dynamic and I love working with people in dairy because they’re very hard working and very cooperative. Being a dairy inspector is an interesting collaboration because at the end of the day, as consumers of dairy products ourselves, we have a vested interest in making sure these facilities are operating in compliance (with the law). We’re all consumers so we’re an important link in the supply chain, and we were especially important during the pandemic. We had to be there, making sure the food could get out to people safely and efficiently.”

Scott Holman is an ODA meat inspector. He was once a farmer.

“I come from a farm background and raised cattle all my life,” Holman said, “so this seemed like a natural progression. The people in the meat industry are very good to work with. When I enter a meat plant, I’m looking for clean equipment and clean clothing on the processing line. On the kill floor, I’m looking to see that they have sound, healthy animals that are presented for slaughter.

“It’s a sense of accomplishment that you have a place that’s meeting the regulations. We hope to find no problems, but if we do, we can tackle those as they come along.”

Agricultural inspectors not only examine all equipment and facilities involved in the agricultural food production process, they also inspect the agricultural products that are waiting to be sold to the public. They ensure that everything about this process is up-to-code and safe for human use and consumption.

Inspectors are provided with knowledge of U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations so they can properly enforce the rules. When they find that everything is up to standard, they are often in charge of issuing official grades. However, when they discover a problem, the inspector must then swiftly take action to ensure that the issue is remedied before contaminated products are sold to the public.

At times inspectors will oversee processes like waste disposal, slaughter and packaging. The job includes collecting samples and transporting them to labs for testing. They may be required to educate workers on how to follow regulations and at times create reports and health recommendations.

According to ODA, inspectors may work in a wide variety of settings, depending on their industry of choice and specialty. Those with bachelor’s degrees may work in laboratories, while others may actively examine processing plants, farms or ranches. Most inspectors work full-time schedules with standard hours. However, the work may sometimes require extensive travel, depending on the inspection location. Agricultural inspectors may also work in fish and logging operations.

The average salary for agricultural inspectors in the Buckeye state is about $61,020 per year. The bottom 20 percent earns $48,000 per year while the top 20 percent earns $64,700 annually.

The ODA says the demand for agricultural inspectors in projected to increase by 9 percent between now and 2030.

Aspiring inspectors are advised to take college courses in the areas of biology or agricultural science. Most positions require a four-year bachelor’s degree, but some do not. Candidates should also search out relevant work experience, such as working on a farm or in a meat-processing plant.