Tennessee Observes National Weights and Measures Week

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is observing Weights and Measures week March 1-7, 2024 to recognize the role of accurate measurement systems in commerce.

“National Weights and Measures Week is the perfect time for consumers to acknowledge the multitude of items in their lives bought and sold by measure,” Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “Whether they’re testing for 1 milligram or 25,000 pounds, our inspectors ensure equity and precision in the marketplace for buyers and sellers alike. Their work goes a long way to safeguard consumer trust.”

Weights and measures inspectors are tasked with upholding standards of accuracy and fairness. Inspectors meticulously examine weighing and measuring devices to verify their compliance with legal requirements. They conduct routine inspections, calibration checks, and enforce regulations to maintain the integrity of measurement systems.

TDA’s large-scale mobile test units are utilized for testing a wide range of items, from industrial materials to agricultural produce and feed. Large scale capacity weights play a chief function in industries where bulk quantities are measured. These weights are used for weighing loads more than 2,500 pounds like livestock scales and commercial trucks.

TDA inspectors adhere to nationally-adopted best practices and uphold the highest standards. TDA is responsible for ensuring the specifications, tolerances and other technical requirements are met for commercial weighing and measuring devices at 8,200 locations across Tennessee. Since July 1, 2023, Weights and Measures officials have conducted 10,200 inspections.

The Julius T. Johnson State Metrology Laboratory on the Ellington Agricultural Campus in Nashville maintains and houses the primary standards of mass, volume, and length for the state. The lab offers calibration services using the most current equipment and testing capabilities.

Pictured is Charlie Hammack, large scale Weights and Measures Inspector, in Jefferson County. He is at the Smoky Mountain Farmers Co-op’s Crop Center and Feed Mill inspecting scales that are used for blending bulk fertilizer and weigh ingredients used for producing feed. Charlie is also pictured at a Pilot Travel Center on their “CAT” scale, which is used to weigh semi-trailer trucks used to carry freight.