Careers in Agricultural Regulations, Law and Policy

Agricultural Grader

Job Description

Agricultural graders sort agricultural products according to their size, quality and type. Following sorting, each product is then labeled according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grade. Some products are graded entirely on their visual characteristics, while others must be analyzed for nutritional content. For example, beef is graded into eight categories, while both poultry and eggs have three grades. Fruits, vegetables and specialty products have 312 grades, while cotton has 38, according to the USDA. Most agricultural graders specialize in grading one or just a few types of related products. Graders must discard damaged or defective foods, weigh some types of food and assist in the packaging of food products by categorizing each food according to its characteristics.

Skills

• Good vision and attention to detail in order to complete evaluations
• Ability to lift products and stand for many hours
• Strong written communication skills, since agricultural graders, like most government regulators, are required to report the findings of their work in detail
• Independent work skills
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks

Preparation

Agricultural graders performing nutritional analyses generally have high school diplomas. Agricultural graders responsible for grading agricultural products purely on their visual characteristics do not necessarily have any formal education. Agricultural graders are often trained on the job, regardless of the highest educational level they have completed. Time spent in training may vary by task and site, from a few days to a few months.

Source: Education Portal