Tennessee Celebrates Weights and Measures Week

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is celebrating Weights and Measures week March 1-7, 2017. This year’s theme, Tradition and Technology Drive U.S. Standards for Trade, highlights the rapidly advancing technologies used to ensure fairness in the marketplace.

“Consumers and businesses alike should get what they pay for,” Commissioner Jai Templeton said. “We value our highly trained Weights and Measures inspectors who provide a crucial service for all Tennesseans.”

TDA is responsible for ensuring the specifications, tolerances and other technical requirements are met for weighing and measuring devices at 10,348 locations across Tennessee. These devices include 99,535 fuel pumps, 18,729 scales, 767 bulk meters, and 536 liquefied petroleum gas meters.

Inspectors also check signage, advertisements and price computations to make sure consumers are not misled. Additionally, they verify that the fuel being sold to drivers meets quality standards.

“If a discrepancy is found, our inspectors work with the retailer and provide guidance in fixing the problem,” Weights and Measures administrator Ed Coleman said. ”We will re-inspect to make sure the issue was corrected.”

The Tennessee Metrology Laboratory maintains and houses the primary standards of mass, volume and length for the state. A new metrology lab, which is under construction and on track to be completed by mid-September 2017, will include the most current equipment and testing capabilities.

Weights and Measures Week is celebrated each year to commemorate John Adams signing the first U.S. weights and measures law on March 2, 1799. Tennessee is a member of the National Conference on Weights and Measures. NCWM has developed national weights and measures standards since 1905. The organization works hard to keep pace with innovative advancements in the marketplace.