Annual “Legal for Trade Scale Certification” Day for Yancey County Producers
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Collapse ▲Annual “Legal for Trade” Scale Certification Day
N.C. Cooperative Extension
Yancey County Center
30 E HWY 19 E Bypass, Burnsville
Wednesday April 9, 2025
Starting @ 9 a.m.
- N.C. Cooperative Extension will be hosting the annual “legal for trade” scale certification on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
- A representative from NCDA&CS will be available to certify scales that morning starting at 9 a.m.
- Farmers can drop their scales off at the N.C. Cooperative Extension Yancey County Center on Tuesday, April 8 during normal business hours (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.),
- Farmers should plan to pick up their scales between 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on April 9th or make other arrangements.
- Please make sure digital or electronic scales are charged and in working condition. Consider leaving the charger with the scales. Both the charger and scale should be labeled with the farmer’s name, address and phone number.
What is “Legal for Trade” Scale Certification Day?
In North Carolina, anyone that is selling produce, feed, or other items by weight are required by law to use a “legal for trade” scale that has been certified annually by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Division of Weights and Measures. Any grocery store or business that is selling any item by weight is required to utilize legal for trade scales, and undergo annual recertification. N.C. Cooperative Extension of Yancey County hosts this annual event so that farmers selling produce or other farm produced items by weight directly from their farm, or from a local farmers market can do so legally.
What is a “Legal for Trade” Scale?
There are several different types of legal for trade scales which farmers can purchase. The scales do not have to be digital or table top type scales. There are many different type of legal for trade scales available for farmer to purchase that include digital, tabletop, and hanging scales. However, a standard bathroom or kitchen scale is not “legal for trade”. Also, not all digital scales are legal for trade either. Legal for trade scales in North Carolina will have the words “Legal for Trade” printed somewhere on the scale, must have a National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) Certificate, and must have both a model number and serial number. Any farmer that would like assistance finding a legal for trade scale to purchase, or that would like to determine if their set of scales is “legal for trade” prior to the certification day can contact N.C. Cooperative Extension of Yancey County for assistance.
Why is Annual Scale Certification Required?
Certification of legal for trade scales is required to make sure scales are calibrated properly. The most important reason that scale certification is required is to protect consumers by making sure they are truly getting what they are paying for. However, annual certification also protects farmers by making sure they are not selling more than what they anticipate. Annual scale certification is a good way to make sure the scales are working properly.
Alternatives to Selling Farm Products by Weight
Of course, farmers can choose to market their farm products differently than by weight. They can sell product by the piece, or by the container (pint, quart, peck, etc.). In this case, certified legal for trade scales are not required. Those farmers that market their products by the piece or by the container; however, should avoid marketing their product as a certain weight. For example, a farmer selling a quart of strawberries would want to list them as price per quart, not price per pound even though a quart of strawberries often weighs 1 pound.
For more information regarding the upcoming scale certification day, or regarding legal for trade scales, please feel free to contact David Davis (david_davis@ncsu.edu) or call the N.C. Cooperative Extension Yancey County Center at (828) 682-6186.