The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) marked National Weights and Measures Week in early March by emphasizing the daily work of its Weights & Measures team to ensure fairness and accuracy in commerce, according to a Mar. 10 report.
National Weights and Measures Week commemorates the signing of the first U.S. weights and measures law on March 2, 1799, which set standards for fair trade. The KDA’s Weights & Measures Branch, part of the Office of Consumer & Environmental Protection, is responsible for protecting consumers across Kentucky through inspections and regulatory oversight.
Heath Higdon, manager of the Weights and Measure Branch, said inspectors have recently found inaccurate scanners at two national discount retail stores in Kentucky. “The price on the shelf needs to match (the scanned amount),” Higdon said. “We inspect those scanners to check to see if they (customers) are paying what the product is priced at (on the shelf).”
Higdon also noted that many people are unaware of the full scope of KDA’s inspections. “A lot of people think we only inspect gas pumps,” he said. “They don’t know that we inspect (amusement) rides and many other things.” Each year, KDA tests around 68,000 gas pumps statewide for both accuracy and fuel quality. “The new (gas) pumps are more accurate,” Higdon said. “With technology, things have gotten better, but anything mechanical can fail.”
In addition to gas pumps and barcode scanners, KDA inspects eggs for cracks and grade verification; scales ranging from industrial models to those used in grocery stores; product packages for correct labeling; meters such as liquid propane tanks; service agencies that install or repair measuring devices; equipment calibration at Kentucky Metrology Laboratories; agricultural limestone analysis; grain business audits under the Kentucky Grain Insurance Fund; tobacco sales compliance checks; and amusement rides at fairs and parks throughout Kentucky.
“I’ve got the biggest group (46 inspectors when fully staffed) in the Department (of Agriculture), and I think I’ve got one of the best groups,” Higdon said. “They’re not only among the hardest working; They’re one of the most important.” He added: “It’s hard for anybody not to be affected every day by something Weights & Measures inspects.”
The department supports agritourism initiatives like Raising Hope, fosters farmers markets, promotes farm safety programs, and works across Kentucky to support producers while promoting local agricultural goods according to its official website. It advances economic development through marketing efforts such as Kentucky Proud, oversees specialized offices for policy implementation, communications, animal health programs, provides market reports, and encourages growth within agriculture according to its official website.
Jonathan Shell serves as commissioner of KDA while operating a multigenerational family farm according to its official website. The department continues its mission statewide by supporting producers through policy development designed to benefit agriculture according to its official website.
Looking ahead, KDA plans ongoing inspections across all sectors it regulates as part of its commitment to consumer protection.
