Yesterday, home bakers in Wisconsin got some very good news as they head into the New Year—a judge ruled decisively that they can sell safe, shelf-stable goods like chocolate and granola, ruling against a state agency that threatened home cooks with a $1,000 fine or six months in jail for selling a macaron.

As you may recall, in 2016, IJ teamed up with three home bakers to end Wisconsin’s total ban on home-baked goods. We secured a court order allowing the sale of these safe foods, but bureaucrats at Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection interpreted the rule to only include goods made with flour. So, we went back to court—and yesterday we won.

Because of this ruling, people all over Wisconsin now have the option to sell—and buy—homemade food of any kind, without restriction, so long as the food is shelf-stable and being sold to a consumer (that is, not for resale). As our client Lisa Kivirist said, “This win is going to be a game changer for so many in Wisconsin.”

Because of IJ’s Food Freedom Initiative, every state now allows the sale of at least some cottage foods. Please help IJ stand with hardworking Americans as they overcome government barriers that hold them back and foster a free and just nation for all.

Scott

Scott G. Bullock
President and General Counsel
Institute for Justice

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