DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today highlighted the work of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Weights and Measures Bureau ahead of National Weights and Measures Week, which runs from March 1 to 7. The Department’s Weights and Measures Bureau is responsible to inspect each of Iowa’s 38,925 fuel pumps and 19,272 commercial scales.
“At times we can take for granted that the gas pumps or scales we use so frequently are fair and accurate, and it is the responsibility of our Weights and Measures Bureau to make sure that is the case,” Northey said. “Even a small inaccuracy over time can have a profound impact and it is important that our inspectors are out there looking out for consumers, supplier, manufacturer, and store owners to make sure they are all being treated fairly.”
The Department’s Weights and Measures Bureau, which was created in 1923, touches virtually every man, woman, and child in Iowa. Inspectors conduct mandated inspections of gas pumps, counter scales, large scales (truck, railroad, livestock, hopper, and platform scales) and mass flow meters. The Department has also responsible for the inspection and certification of grain moisture meters.
Weights and Measures staff also investigates complaints to ensure consumer protection and protect fair competition. This entails ensuring fuel quantity, (i.e. pump accuracy), and fuel quality (i.e. octane and ethanol blends). The complaints are fielded and investigated by the bureau and resulting samples are submitted for analysis.
The effect of even small inaccuracies by fuel pumps or scales is has the potential to be tremendous. In 2011 over 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline were sold in Iowa through fuel pumps licensed by the Department with a value of approximately $6.9 billion. As a result the cost of even a 1 percent error is $69 million.
“The work of our Weights and Measures Bureau remains vitally important as they seek to protect customers and make sure Iowans get all that they pay for,” Northey said. “National Weights and Measures week is a great opportunity to highlight this important work.”
