Weighmaster Program
The Weighmaster Program is a program managed by CDFA, (California's Department of Food and Agriculture) through DMS (Division of Measurement Standards).
California Business and Professions Code, Division 5, Chapter 7, Section 12700 defines a weighmaster as follows:
"A weighmaster is any person who, for hire or otherwise, weighs, measures, or counts any commodity and issues a statement or memorandum of the weight, measure, or count which is used as the basis for either the purchase or sale of that commodity or charge for service.”
Any business falls under this definition, must be licensed with CDFA as a weighmaster business. A weighmaster business is required to register any of their employees involved in determining the value of commodities, as deputies representatives of the licensed business. The weighmaster program also has legal requirements for records retention, which compel a licensed business to correctly issue weighmaster certificates and to archive those records for a period of four years.
These businesses and persons include such locations as:
- agricultural processors, dealers, packers, warehouses, and growers
- livestock auctions, feed yards, dairies, slaughter houses, and rendering plants
- rock, sand, gravel, ready mix, asphalt, landscape, and gunite suppliers
- fish processors, scrap metal and salvage material yards, fertilizer plants, timber and lumber mills, public scales, moving and storage companies, and mining operations
Millions of dollars of agricultural commodities, such as grapes, apples, hay and animal feed, are bought and sold daily. Their financial value of these traded commodities is determined and recorded through a licensed weighmaster businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Weighmaster Enforcement Program important to the consumer?
The program works to make sure that the weights or measures of bulk products purchased by consumers and sold by businesses are accurate. Over 78 billion dollars worth of products or services is changing hands annually based on the weights or measures found on weighmaster certificates.
Under California law, who must license as a weighmaster?
Any person who, for hire or otherwise, weighs, measures, or counts any commodity and issues a statement or memorandum of the weight, measure, or count which is used as the basis for either the purchase or sale of that commodity or charge for service.
What is a weighmaster certificate and what purpose does it serve?
A weighmaster certificate is a negotiable document that binds the buyer and seller. It serves as a contractual agreement between the involved parties for payments of good sold or purchased on the basis of weight, measure or count.
Can the vehicle be weighed with people in it as part of the gross load?
As a general rule, the answer is "no"; however, for safety reasons, there are a few exceptions.
Who can be a Deputy Weighmaster and is there an age limit?
A weighmaster may employ any person to act for them as a deputy weighmaster and shall be responsible for all acts performed by that person. There is no age limit.