How to become a Primary Products Inspector
Primary products inspectors examine animals, plants and agricultural produce at farms, abattoirs, processing and packing plants, wholesale markets and places of storage or shipment to ensure they meet government standards of hygiene and quality, and export requirements.
Personal requirements of a Primary Products Inspector
- Normal colour vision
- Confidence when dealing with people
- Good communication skills
- Able to make accurate observations
- Good organisational and supervisory skills
- Able to handle animals with confidence and patience
- Aptitude for working with computers
Education & Training for a Primary Products Inspector
To become a primary products inspector you usually have to complete a VET qualification. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact our chosen institution for further information. You can also become a primary products inspector through a traineeship. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.
Duties & Tasks of a Primary Products Inspector
Primary products inspectors:
- check produce, live animals and crops for disease, insect or chemical residue and other damage, and reject those of substandard quality
- check and grade produce (such as meat, fruit, vegetables, milk, grains, sugar cane and fish) during processing, ensuring ingredients used in processing meet government standards of purity and grading
- supervise fumigation of ships and aircraft
- supervise the proper disposal of quarantine garbage
- examine imported plants, animals and products (timber, seeds and dried fruits, for example) and make quarantine arrangements
- ensure commercial fishing regulations are obeyed
- inspect livestock before and after slaughter to check that they are fit for human consumption
- advise on packing and loading regulations
- advise primary producers on economic aspects of disease eradication, and inform producers and the general public of health implications of diseases and impurities
- appear in court to give evidence in cases involving breaches of the regulations.
Working conditions for a Primary Products Inspector
Primary products inspectors may be required to work shifts, including weekends.
Employment Opportunities for a Primary Products Inspector
To become a quarantine inspector you must first become an employee of the Department of Agriculture. Once employed, you will be required to participate in on-the-job training. Quarantine inspectors are employed at airports and seaports throughout Australia. Meat inspectors usually work at establishments that slaughter or process meat for export or domestic consumption. Employment opportunities for sugarcane analysts/auditors are mainly in Queensland, with limited opportunities in NSW and WA. Sugarcane analysts/auditors work in laboratories located within sugar mills, and most work rostered shifts.
Avg. weekly wage:
$1,395
Future growth:
Stable
Employment by state:
ACT ACT 0%
NSW NSW 19.7%
NT NT 1.1%
QLD QLD 18.7%
SA SA 7.5%
TAS TAS 3.9%
VIC VIC 31.6%
WA WA 17.5%
Hours worked:
35.4
Unemployment:
Lower unemployment
Gender split:
Male 58.8%
Female 41.2%
Education level:
Age brackets:
15-19 - 0%
20-24 - 4%
25-34 - 14.8%
35-44 - 39.8%
45-54 - 22.5%
55-59 - 3.6%
60-64 - 10.5%
65 and Over - 4.7%
*The data above is sourced from the Department of Employment’s Job Outlook website.
Personal requirements of a Primary Products Inspector
- Normal colour vision
- Confidence when dealing with people
- Good communication skills
- Able to make accurate observations
- Good organisational and supervisory skills
- Able to handle animals with confidence and patience
- Aptitude for working with computers
Education & Training for a Primary Products Inspector
To become a primary products inspector you usually have to complete a VET qualification. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact our chosen institution for further information. You can also become a primary products inspector through a traineeship. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10.
Duties & Tasks of a Primary Products Inspector
Primary products inspectors:
- check produce, live animals and crops for disease, insect or chemical residue and other damage, and reject those of substandard quality
- check and grade produce (such as meat, fruit, vegetables, milk, grains, sugar cane and fish) during processing, ensuring ingredients used in processing meet government standards of purity and grading
- supervise fumigation of ships and aircraft
- supervise the proper disposal of quarantine garbage
- examine imported plants, animals and products (timber, seeds and dried fruits, for example) and make quarantine arrangements
- ensure commercial fishing regulations are obeyed
- inspect livestock before and after slaughter to check that they are fit for human consumption
- advise on packing and loading regulations
- advise primary producers on economic aspects of disease eradication, and inform producers and the general public of health implications of diseases and impurities
- appear in court to give evidence in cases involving breaches of the regulations.
Working conditions for a Primary Products Inspector
Primary products inspectors may be required to work shifts, including weekends.
Employment Opportunities for a Primary Products Inspector
To become a quarantine inspector you must first become an employee of the Department of Agriculture. Once employed, you will be required to participate in on-the-job training. Quarantine inspectors are employed at airports and seaports throughout Australia. Meat inspectors usually work at establishments that slaughter or process meat for export or domestic consumption. Employment opportunities for sugarcane analysts/auditors are mainly in Queensland, with limited opportunities in NSW and WA. Sugarcane analysts/auditors work in laboratories located within sugar mills, and most work rostered shifts.
Avg. weekly wage:
$1,395
Future growth:
Stable
Employment by state:
ACT ACT 0%
NSW NSW 19.7%
NT NT 1.1%
QLD QLD 18.7%
SA SA 7.5%
TAS TAS 3.9%
VIC VIC 31.6%
WA WA 17.5%
Hours worked:
35.4
Unemployment:
Lower unemployment
Gender split:
Male 58.8%
Female 41.2%
Education level:
Age brackets:
15-19 - 0%
20-24 - 4%
25-34 - 14.8%
35-44 - 39.8%
45-54 - 22.5%
55-59 - 3.6%
60-64 - 10.5%
65 and Over - 4.7%
*The data above is sourced from the Department of Employment’s Job Outlook website.
