The drought monitor report as of Tuesday, April 22nd shows a little improvement across the state. Our entire area is in moderate drought. The six to ten-day outlook (April 29 to May 3) indicates a 40 to 50% chance of leaning above normal for temperatures and a 33 to 40% leaning above normal for precipitation. The eight to 14-day outlook (May 1 to 7) indicates a 40 to 50% chance of leaning above normal for temperatures and equal chances of above or below normal for precipitation.
Something most don’t think about but is vitally important in our everyday lives is measurement. We don’t think about it because we all just assume that what we are purchasing or using is accurately measured. The fuel we fill our tanks with, the gallon of milk at the store, the pound of hamburger you buy, or the bag of chips at the store. Accurate weighing or liquid measurement are just accepted as accurate. This is extremely important in agriculture as almost everything is bought and sold by weight or volume. So, how does all this happen with so few mistakes?
Briefly, all levels of government across the world recognize the importance of accurate weights and measures for commerce. For almost the entire history of this country, the Federal Government has passed legislation addressing this issue. The Department of Commerce has the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) devoted to this area. In Kansas, like many states, since measurement is key to agriculture, state weights and measures departments are in the Department of Agriculture. There is a National Council of Weights and Measures (NCWM) made up of industry and government officials that works to ensure accurate commercial measurement. They work with NIST and publish an updated version of the industry bible, Handbook 44, annually.
While it varies from state to state, commercial devices are certified annually for accuracy. In Kansas, scales, grain moisture meters, and mass flow devices are certified by company scale technicians required to obtain licenses from the state of Kansas. The challenge is that there are over 20,000 commercial scales and likely that many noncommercial scales in Kansas that need installed, maintained, repaired, and certified with too few technicians. The industry needs more employees, not just in Kansas but across the country. These are good paying jobs with excellent benefits. The college is constantly receiving requests for possible students graduating in our Scale Technician Program.
Barton Community College has a 27-credit hour Scale Technician Program that may be completed in one semester. Upon successful completion of the program, an individual will have a Class A or B CDL and passed their tests to receive their licenses for both small/medium and large scales. Again, there are scale companies looking to hire our students and will have employment lined up before they graduate. With the previously mentioned licenses, they normally start their probationary period at over $40,000 plus excellent benefits including healthcare, sick leave, vacation, and overtime. Many companies also engage in profit sharing. It’s an excellent opportunity for new graduates and older, more experienced individuals.
Dr. Victor L. Martin is the agriculture instructor/coordinator for Barton Community College. He can be reached at 620-792-9207, ext. 207, or martinv@bartonccc.edu.
