Being a dairy inspector means having two jobs. You have to make sure farmers
have all the information and official help they need to do a good job. You
also have to ensure that the milk is safe and tastes good.
The job requires getting along with people and cows.
"Our goal is to make sure milk is produced that has a good flavor, no bacteria
count, no inhibitors and isn't adulterated," says inspector Susan Kernatz.
The purity of the milk is a huge part of Kernatz's job. When she speaks
of "inhibitors" she means antibiotics, which shouldn't be found in the
milk. And "adulterated" milk would contain, for example, extra water.
While being a dairy inspector requires more or less the same work anywhere
in the United States, government regulations can vary slightly from state
to state.
Robert Bradley is a professor of food sciences at Babcock Hall at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. He says being a dairy inspector means being very busy.
The job includes checking equipment to make sure the dairy producers are sticking
closely to rules and regulations and that pasteurization (heating) equipment
is operating correctly.
This last part can be quite complicated. There's a lot of high-tech
equipment involved in making sure the pasteurization of the milk is done correctly.
Thermometers, heat-sensing devices and the equipment used to heat the milk
to the pasteurization point must all be checked carefully.
Bradley says collecting samples for regular analysis of the milk is part
of the job, too. "Samples are collected from plants and spot checks are done
for stores or in certain areas there might be concern," he says.
Kernatz agrees that taking samples for testing purposes is a big part of
her job. "You know those big milk trucks you see on the road hauling milk?
Every one of those big trucks is tested every day. If something out of the
ordinary, such as traces of an antibiotic, is found, then that whole load
is gone. It's thrown away. The whole truckload has to be pure."
Kernatz again stresses the dual nature of her job: "I wear two hats. I
have the regulations to enforce and I do extension work, which means I am
also there to help the dairy producers.
"If a farmer needs someone to do an analysis of their milking equipment,
or if they need to take samples from each cow for a veterinarian to check,
I can help. I train the bulk milk haulers and give refresher courses for the
haulers who have been doing it for a while."
Kernatz not only makes sure the milk is safe, but that it tastes good,
too. She puts together panels of taste-testers to sample milk and give their
opinions, just as if they were sampling wine.
Becoming a dairy inspector can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Bradley
says most inspectors should have some advanced training after high school
in areas such as food safety and regulatory work.
Those wanting to be dairy inspectors should prepare themselves with a bachelor's
degree in food science or dairy science from a recognized university. But
Bradley admits an inspector doesn't necessarily have to be a university
graduate.
Kernatz says that experience in a related industry or a co-op in a creamery
would be one way to start. One co-worker in her office has a diploma in agriculture.
Kernatz herself went to college, and then worked for several years in the
poultry industry. She began her career as a level one dairy inspector. After
a few years of conscientious work, Kernatz was promoted to a level two dairy
inspector.
"A dairy inspector should have good people and interpersonal skills, because
there's a lot of liaison work in this job between the dairy producer
and the government," she says.
Kernatz enjoys what she does. She finds being a dairy inspector very rewarding.
Now, if only she could get a real chair for her office instead of that milking
stool.