Description
Inspect the manufacture, sale, storage, and application of agricultural chemicals to protect workers, consumers, and the environment, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local pesticide and fertilizer regulations.
- • Determine the nature of pesticide and fertilizer violations; issue notices and support enforcement hearings.
- • Examine applicator and dealer licenses, permits, product registrations, and required records for compliance.
- • Prepare, organize, and maintain inspection and enforcement files.
- • Interview growers, applicators, mixers/loaders, and dealers to obtain evidence of suspected misuse.
- • Prepare written, oral, tabular, and graphic reports with regulatory citations and chain-of-custody documentation.
- • Monitor corrective actions and review compliance follow-up reports.
- • Investigate complaints of drift, illegal chemigation, improper storage, spills, adulteration, or mislabeling.
- • Inspect farms, greenhouses, nurseries, aerial and ground application businesses, and bulk storage facilities.
- • Inform producers and applicators of inspection findings and how to correct deficiencies.
- • Select sampling locations and methods; collect and preserve crop, soil, water, air, and container-rinse samples.
- • Verify safe handling, storage, transport, and disposal of pesticides, fumigants, and anhydrous ammonia.
- • Stay current on FIFRA, Worker Protection Standard, EPA, and state agricultural rules and best practices.
- • Prioritize investigations and coordinate compliance and enforcement with EPA, state agriculture, and water agencies.
- • Observe and record conditions such as wind, temperature, field buffers, application rates, and nozzle settings.
- • Follow safety procedures; recognize hazards and ensure required PPE and ammonia handling practices.
- • Evaluate pesticide labels and Safety Data Sheets for accuracy and regulatory conformance.
- • Educate health providers, property owners, and the public on exposure risks and post-incident response.
- • Implement requirements for pesticide management plans, nutrient management, and runoff control programs.
- • Perform field tests and coordinate laboratory analysis for residues and active ingredient identification.
- • Review permit and registration applications, including restricted-use classifications and chemigation approvals.
- • Calculate compliant application rates, setbacks, containment volumes, and drift potential; document results.
- • Help develop spill prevention, emergency response, and waste pesticide collection programs; recommend fixes.
- • Maintain and calibrate sampling equipment, gas monitors, and application measuring devices.
- • Research incident trends, drift events, and disposal alternatives; assess impacts and compliance costs.
- • Respond to inquiries on licensing, recordkeeping, fees, and regulatory interpretations or refer as needed.
- • Compile data to calculate licensing or tonnage fees and program performance metrics.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
