Whether you are a California resident, a visiting tourist, or you own a company that does business in the state, you engage daily in transactions that include weighing, measurement or counting using a commercial weighing or measuring device. It is crucial that commercial scales and meters are accurate.
Take vehicle fuel for example. California consumers are currently paying an average of $4.79 per gallon for regular gasoline. That’s a $1.10 increase in one year. While the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) cannot control the prices of fuel, DMS can help ensure that each motorist who buys gas gets exactly what they pay for. DMS partners with county offices of weights and measures to test dispenser accuracy at approximately10,000 fueling stations in California. State and county officials also check pricing on dispensers and street sign advertising to make sure they match. In addition, DMS operates two laboratories that analyze fuel, lubricants, and other automotive products for quality purposes.
California leads the nation in the adoption of alternative transportation options, including fuel cell electric and battery electric vehicles (EVs). As Californians embrace EVs, state and county weights and measures officials are expanding their testing programs to ensure that electric charging stations and hydrogen dispensers are operating correctly and to protect consumers and businesses.
Supply chain issues, labor shortages, and other factors have disrupted nearly every facet of the marketplace. Right now, grocery prices are another focal point for consumers. Isn’t it good to know then that somebody is checking the accuracy of grocery scales, checking packages to make sure they contain the correct amount, and conducting pricing checks throughout stores? Weights and measures officials in California’s 58 counties are actively doing these checks throughout the year.
There are more than 1.8 million commercial weighing and measuring devices in the state. Everything gets checked; from retail water dispensers, farmers market scales and propane meters all the way to truck and railroad scales.
National Weights and Measures Week, every March 1 – 7, is recognized to celebrate the first U.S. weights and measures law signed by President John Adams in 1799. The theme for 2022, “For the Sake of Equity,” addresses the importance of equity in commerce for both the consumer and seller. This week is an opportunity to remember that behind each commercial transaction there are people dedicated to preserving and defending our established standards of measurement.