The US Metric Association (USMA), based in

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

, is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

that advocates for

total conversion Video game modding (short for "modifying") is the process of alteration by players or fans of one or more aspects of a video game, such as how it looks or behaves, and is a sub-discipline of general ''modding''. A set of modifications, commonly c ...

of the United States to the

International System of Units The International System of Units, internationally known by the abbreviation SI (from French ), is the modern form of the metric system and the world's most widely used system of measurement. It is the only system of measurement with official s ...

(SI). Founded on 27 December 1916 at

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New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, it was originally called the American Metric Association. The USMA publishes a bi-monthly newsletter for its members on the state of the metric system in the United States called '' Metric Today''.

Background

The

Metric Act of 1866 The Metric Act of 1866, also known as the Kasson Act, is a piece of United States legislation that legally protected use of the metric system in commerce from lawsuit, and provided an official conversion table from United States customary units ...

declared the metric system to be "lawful throughout the United States of America" and in all business dealings and court proceedings, in essence allowing metric units to be used in an official capacity throughout America. At an international commercial congress, the Treaty of the Meter, also known as the

Metre Convention The Metre Convention (), also known as the Treaty of the Metre, is an international treaty that was signed in Paris on 20 May 1875 by representatives of 17 nations: Argentina, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, German Empire, Ge ...

(''Convention du Mètre'') of 1875, was signed by 17 countries, including the US, making the metric system the international system of weights and measures. Note that this was a meeting of international states to facilitate commerce. This treaty, then, falls under the overview of the

United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...

, which has devolved oversight to the

United States Department of Commerce The United States Department of Commerce (DOC) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for gathering data for business and governmental decision making, establishing industrial standards, catalyzing econ ...

. The

Mendenhall Order The Mendenhall Order marked a decision to change the fundamental standards of length and mass of the United States from the customary standards based on those of England to metric standards. It was issued on April 5, 1893, by Thomas Corwin Mend ...

of 1893 scrapped the previously used standards and definitions for the yard, pound, gallon, and bushel. It adopted the standards of the metric system and redefined the yard, pound, gallon, and bushel in terms of metric units. The

Metric Conversion Act The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by U.S. President Gerald Ford on December 23, 1975. It declared the metric system "the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerc ...

of 1975 started a voluntary metrication process in the US and, as amended by the

Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 is an act passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. History During the 1970s, the U.S. trade surplus slowly diminished and turned into an increasing d ...

of 1988, declared the metric system to be "the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce".

Mission

The US Metric Association (USMA) advocates US conversion to the metric system, officially known as the International System of Units (SI). In support of this mission, the USMA provides a public medium for information and discussion, reports of metrication within the US, a history of the use of metric units in the US, a related bibliography including relevant laws, an answer source for industrial inquiries, a cadre of people knowledgeable about the metric system, training aids and supplies for

educators A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

and the public, a certification program that has been used in industry, and various citations and awards for those supporting this mission. The USMA is in cooperative communication with various state and federal governments, both legislative and executive, and various industrial and professional societies, such as the

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is an American 501(c)(3) public charity professional organization for electrical engineering, electronics engineering, and other related disciplines. The IEEE has a corporate office ...

(IEEE), many of whom are involved in standards development.

Short-term goals

The labeling of some goods as to the amount included is regulated by the federal government, for example by means of the

Fair Packaging and Labeling Act The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act is a U.S. law that applies to labels on many consumer products. It requires the label to state: *The identity of the product; *The name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor; and * ...

(FPLA). Some goods are labeled by states or weight-and-measure districts, usually in a manner described by the

Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...

(published by the

National Conference on Weights and Measures The National Council on Weights and Measures (NCWM) is a not-for-profit standards development organization, dedicated to developing the United States technical standards for weights and measures in commerce. The organization's official mission is ...

). Some goods have no labeling guidance.

Complete adoption of the UPLR

The

(NCWM) published a revised model

(UPLR) which went into effect on January 1, 2001. This has been adopted legislatively or by regulation by all, but

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

. Once New York State adopts the UPLR, then goods sold in the US are not subject to federal regulations and laws, and may have their contents labeled solely in metric units if that is the desire of the producer or manufacturer. Other producers and manufacturers may continue to provide dual labeling (metric and non-metric) if they so desire. Metric-only labeling would be merely an option. USMA would like to see the UPLR completely adopted.

Amendment of the FPLA

An amendment to the

(FPLA) has been proposed and is awaiting approval by Congress. This would permit goods sold in the US subject to federal regulations and laws to have their contents labeled solely in metric units if that is the desire of the producer or manufacturer. Other producers and manufacturers may continue to provide dual labeling (metric and non-metric) if they so desire. Metric-only labeling would be merely an option. USMA would like to see this FPLA amendment adopted.

References