AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AGENT TRAINEE
New Jersey classifies Agricultural Products Agent Trainee as non-competitive, which skips the exam-and-list step and turns on whether you meet the minimum requirements.
What it takes is a professional license. This title is paid a single fixed rate of $50,059, and state payroll lists a single employee in the title, at Agriculture.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Agricultural Products Agent Trainee appears on the State payroll at one department, Department of Agriculture.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | 1 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 1 person working under this title. The median actual salary is $48,366. The agencies employing the most are:
- Agriculture (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under close supervision in the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, learns by instruction and on the job training the inspection, grading, and certification of agricultural products and materials, and price verification procedures at various locations, inventory monitoring, and storage and handling of USDA foods in accord with state and/or federal laws and regulations; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- As a Trainee and Productive Worker:
- Observes and participates in training sessions on proper techniques of sampling agricultural products to determine the grade, class, quality, and/or condition of the product.
- Learns to conduct inspections of agricultural products at processing plants, receiving stations, retail stores, and at shipping points including farms, packing houses, auction markets, and cold storage warehouses to examine and certify the quality, condition, and grade of products.
- Learns to prepare certificates and other related official documents according to state and/or federal laws and regulations and contracts.
- Learns to conduct inspections of agricultural products and materials at the retail level regarding collection of samples of fertilizers, animal feeds, seeds, soil conditioners, agricultural liming materials, and related agricultural products.
- Learns the provisions of applicable laws, regulations, standards, and proper procedures in examining and certifying agricultural products according to federal/state laws, rules, and regulations and contracts.
- Learns to work with farmers, packers, and shippers toward the improvement of packing techniques, grading standardization requirements, and appropriate labeling of packages of agricultural products and materials.
- Learns to verify prices and proper dating of agricultural commodities.
- Prepares and maintains essential records and files.
- Learns to make special field visits and investigations of licensed milk dealers, processors, retail merchants to determine compliance with New Jersey Law.
- Learns dairy regulations.
- Learns to provide assistance to milk dealers, processors, and retail merchants in the preparation and interpretation of various reports and forms required.
- Learns to administer dairy regulations in the investigations of stores for compliance.
- Learns to administer dairy regulations and penalties with limited supervision when violations are identified.
- Learns federal and state regulations relating to Food Distribution Programs including the National School Lunch program, Summer Foodservice Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, the State Food Purchase Program, and the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program.
- Learns to complete accountability reviews for all of the programs listed above.
- Learns food safety and sanitation.
- Learns to review financial statements for proper commodity crediting.
- Learns Foodservice Management Company and Vendor requirements regarding USDA Foods.
- Learns to use all computer systems, tools and forms utilized by the Food Distribution Unit.
- Learns how to handle food complaints and food recalls.
- Learns proper inventory management.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees may be required to qualify for federal and/or State licenses or certifications for agricultural commodities inspections and/or food safety inspections during the training period.
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
<b>SPECIAL NOTE</b>
The duties of this title may involve heavy lifting. Appointees will be expected to perform duties where heavy lifting of objects such as crates of ice, pack poultry, and dry pack cases of eggs, fruits, and vegetables and other objects will be required.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Ability to understand, interpret, analyze, and apply state and federal laws, regulations, standards, and procedures in examining and certifying agricultural products.
- Ability to learn how to work independently and make inspections of agricultural commodities, collect samples of agricultural production materials such as fertilizers, animal feeds, and soil conditioners, and verify prices and proper dating of agricultural commodities.
- Ability to understand and administer dairy regulations in the investigations of stores for compliance.
- Ability to administer dairy regulations and penalties with limited supervision when violations are identified.
- Ability to learn how to handle food complaints and food recalls.
- Ability to deal effectively with food safety issues and sanitation.
- Ability to learn how to keep notes regarding inspections.
- Ability to learn how to write certificates and other related official documents associated with the inspection and grading of agricultural commodities.
- Ability to deal effectively and courteously with others.
- Ability to learn how to prepare factual reports and to maintain inspection records, reports, and files.
- Ability to complete the formal training required to qualify for Federal and/or State licenses or certifications for agricultural commodities inspections and/or food safety inspections.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
- <b>ADVANCEMENT</b>
- Appointees who complete the twelve (12) month training period successfully will be eligible for advancement to title Agricultural Products Agent 1. The inability of an employee to attain a level of performance warranting advancement to the title above shall be considered as cause for separation.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.