Wisconsinites who bake food at home for sale in their communities could find their incomes dramatically curtailed under legislation recently introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature. Assembly Bill 897, introduced by Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer) and Rep. Chanz Green (R-Grand View), would impose a $20,000 cap on the annual gross sales of Wisconsin cottage food producers.

A similar measure, Senate Bill 813, introduced by Sen. Andre Jacque (R-De Pere) and Sen. Duey Strobel (R-Saukville), would set the earnings cap at $25,000, still one of the lowest amounts in the nation for at-home producers who sell only shelf-stable food.

“Cottage food is, broadly speaking, homemade, home-grown, small batch food,” said Kriss Marion, who with her husband owns a bed and breakfast on their Circle M Market Farm in Blanchardville, Wis. “It’s what consumers want more than ever, post-COVID — to be close to the source of the products they buy. They want to know and trust their makers.”

Bill supporters argue that this cap is necessary to ensure fair competition.

“Sadly but typically, when government sees a problem, it establishes regulations to supposedly fix the problem — but at great cost to somebody. In this case, the cost is to the cottage food industry. Maybe the better solution is to relieve the food industry of any burdensome but unnecessary regulations, thus reducing their costs and keeping them competitive with the cottage industry.”

— Ron Zahn, Wrightstown

“Please don’t pass the $20,000 cap. I like having the option to buy locally and know where my food is coming from. I still purchase the majority of my goods at big, licensed stores, but I occasionally buy specialty things from local businesses that wouldn’t be able to survive if the cap is put in place.”

— Amy D., Green Bay

The Badger Institute launched a first-of-its-kind initiative in late 2023 to better understand the impact of both adult recreational and medical cannabis legalization in other states and provide the citizens of Wisconsin with a research-backed estimate of what the impact could be here.

We have already published multiple installments in this series. More are coming. Here, we summarize the relevant findings thus far related to medical marijuana given the arrival of legislation that would allow its use.

The legislation was outlined by Wisconsin Assembly Republicans on Monday. Legislative text was not yet introduced, but news reports described the proposal as limiting cannabis to individuals certified by doctors as suffering from specific illnesses, and permitting them to buy only smokeless forms of the drug through five state-run dispensaries.

The current body of research pertains to:

• Public safety

• Workforce participation

• Cannabis usage rates

Single-parent households are still the minority among U.S. households with children. However, the share of households with children headed by a single parent — rather than by a married or unmarried couple — varies from state to state. According to Census data from 2022, Wisconsin has the 25th highest percentage of single-parent households among the states and the District of Columbia.

Our data was taken from the 2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates data profiles found on the U.S. Census Bureau website.

The Badger Institute, formerly known as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), has long been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles now and in generations to come.

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