The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) is joining the National Council on Weights and Measures (NCWM) and dedicated regulatory officials across the country to celebrate Weights and Measures Week March 1-7, 2026.
Each year, the first week of March commemorates the signing of the nation’s first weights and measures law by President John Adams on March 2, 1799, an early and enduring commitment to fairness, accuracy and trust in commerce.
This year’s theme, “We Measure What Matters,” was announced by NCWM Chair Kevin Schnepp of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Measurement Standards. The theme reflects the essential yet often unseen role that weights and measures professionals play in ensuring equity in today’s increasingly complex marketplace.
“Recognized standards are essential to the functioning of local, national and international commerce,” Schnepp said. “National Weights and Measures Week is our opportunity to highlight why what we do truly matters.”
Beyond commemorating a historic law, National Weights and Measures Week is a time to recognize and thank the state, county and local officials who protect consumers and support competing businesses by ensuring a fair and level playing field for all participants in the marketplace.
Founded in 1905, the National Council on Weights and Measures is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to its mission of “Ensuring Equity and Uniform Standards in a Changing Marketplace.” NCWM develops and promotes standards that support integrity in the marketplace and provide the essential underpinning for an organized and civil society.
“This Weights and Measures Week, we are proud to spotlight the dedicated professionals who work behind the scenes to uphold integrity in the marketplace,” said Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “Every day, our inspectors verify the accuracy of commercial scales, fuel devices and packaged goods to ensure consumers receive exactly what they pay for and businesses compete on a level playing field. The work of our Bureau of Regulatory Services strengthens trust in the transactions that power our economy. As you shop for groceries or fill up your vehicle, look for that trusted MDAC seal that represents our ongoing commitment to precision, transparency and fairness across our state.”
Ensuring quantity is the responsibility of MDAC’s Bureau of Regulatory Services, specifically the Regulatory Inspectors. Inspectors operate within rules and regulations as adopted by NCWM, published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in handbooks, and referenced by states into law. These publications take into consideration state and federal laws, as well as international standards. NCWM’s model standards provide highly sophisticated tools that aid inspectors in the never-ending process of equity in the marketplace.
MDAC’s inspectors work to ensure that Mississippians receive the goods they are paying for. Every time a consumer uses a scale for weighing produce at the grocery store or buys gas at the pump, they can be assured they are getting the exact quantity paid for. Inspectors make routine inspections on all types of commercial weighing devices including railroad scales, vehicle scales, livestock scales, hopper scales, floor scales, bench scales and those used to weigh precious metals and stones like gold, silver and diamonds.
Inspectors conduct package inspections to verify the net contents of packaged commodities and price verification inspections in businesses that utilize UPC scanning systems. In addition, the Bureau investigates complaints involving weighing and measuring devices. In 2025, MDAC’s Bureau of Regulatory Services tested 12,389 scales and 62,186 devices found at gas stations and conducted 1,394 UPC inspections across the state.
If you have any questions or concerns about the weight or quantity of product purchased, please contact the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce at 601-359-1100 or visit our website at www.mdac.ms.gov.
