A person certified under §603 of the Milk Marketing Law.  A weigher/sampler picks up milk at farms.  It is unlawful for any milk dealer to buy or receive milk from producers based on the amount of butterfat or components contained in the milk, unless the samples taken for testing purposes are made by a certified weigher/sampler or a certified tester.  It is also unlawful for any person to pick up milk from farms unless the person making the pickup is a certified weigher/sampler or a certified tester. 

Weigher/samplers are certified based on their knowledge of proper weighing and sampling techniques as demonstrated by passing a written examination given at the time of initial application for weigher/sampler certification.

The Pennsylvania Milk Board regulates the economic aspects of the producer/handler relationship.  The Milk Marketing Law requires the Board to certify weigher/samplers to ensure the weigher/samplers are properly weighing producer milk and properly taking samples of producer milk for payment purposes.  The Board certifies weigher/samplers on a calendar-year basis.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is responsible for regulating the sanitary aspects of the producer/handler relationship.  Among the Department's activities in that regard is periodic field evaluations of weigher/samplers to ensure their procedures meet sanitary guidelines.  

In 1976 the Board and the Department entered into a memorandum of understanding to coordinate and cooperate as to testing and evaluation of weigher/samplers.  Over the years since, Board Staff at times found itself performing an increasing portion of the Department's milk sanitation-related field evaluations.  At times Board Staff was conducting over 50% of the field evaluations and one Board employee's only duties were to conduct the Department's milk sanitation-related field evaluations. 

Due to ongoing budget and personnel constraints, including the retirement of the employee who was dedicated to performing Department of Agriculture-related weigher/sampler evaluations, the Board has terminated the memorandum of understanding effective July 1, 2021.  Therefore, Board Staff will no longer perform milk sanitation-related field evaluations.  Board Staff will concentrate on the Board's statutory responsibility to ensure accurate economic transactions between producers and handlers.

Further information regarding the Department's program, including contacts for weigher/sampler field evaluations, is available at the Department's website.
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Active weigher/samplers as of April 2, 2024 - Excel
This table contains a list of weigher/samplers holding current Board-issued certifications. We will update this list every month.

Weigher/Samplers listed by Hauler
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Milk Marketing Law Article VI Weighing and Testing
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Bulletin 1593 - Termination of MOU re weigher/sampler field evaluations