Agriculture & EnvironmentCompare

Agricultural Inspector

O*NET: Agricultural Inspectors·45-2011.00

The Verdict:Field inspections demand hands-on examination of commodities, livestock, and facilities in unpredictable farm/plant settings—no robot replicates this. Regulatory enforcement and emergency decisions require human authority. AI aids documentation and analysis but cannot perform core verification. The role is essential as oversight needs grow with food supply complexity.

Resilience Score

/100

Highly Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$51k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+1.5%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 1 of 16 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
11 of 16 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 25% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

1exposed

4AI leverage

11human-essential

View all 16 tasks

AI Can Handle This1 task

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Compare product recipes with government-approved formulas or recipes to determine acceptability.

AI Leverage4 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Interpret and enforce government acts and regulations and explain required standards to agricultural workers.

Monitor the grading performed by company employees to verify conformance to standards.

Write reports of findings and recommendations and advise farmers, growers, or processors of corrective action to be taken.

Provide consultative services in areas such as equipment or product evaluation, plant construction or layout, or food safety systems.

Human Advantage11 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Inspect food products and processing procedures to determine whether products are safe to eat.

Inspect agricultural commodities or related operations, as well as fish or logging operations, for compliance with laws and regulations governing health, quality, and safety.

Label and seal graded products and issue official grading certificates.

Monitor the operations and sanitary conditions of slaughtering or meat processing plants.

Take emergency actions, such as closing production facilities, if product safety is compromised.

Verify that transportation and handling procedures meet regulatory requirements.

Inspect the cleanliness and practices of establishment employees.

Examine, weigh, and measure commodities, such as poultry, eggs, meat, or seafood to certify qualities, grades, and weights.

Inspect or test horticultural products or livestock to detect harmful diseases, chemical residues, or infestations and to determine the quality of products or animals.

Collect samples from animals, plants, or products and route them to laboratories for microbiological assessment, ingredient verification, or other testing.

Testify in legal proceedings.

Resilience Landscape

Agricultural Inspector lands in Stable, Lower Pay

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