Wis. Stat. § 97.18 (2006)
97.18. Oleomargarine regulations.



(1) (a) For the purposes of this section "oleomargarine" or
"margarine" includes oleomargarine, margarine, butterine and other
similar substances, fats and fat compounds sufficiently adaptable to
the ordinary uses of butter, to lead readily to use as an alternative
to butter, but this section shall not apply to lard, cream cheese,
cheese food compounds, nor to any other dairy product made exclusively
of milk or milk solids with or without added vitamins, if such product
is sold or distributed in such manner and form as will clearly
distinguish it from butter. Nor shall this section apply to
shortenings not churned or emulsified in milk or cream or having a
melting point of 112 degrees Fahrenheit or more as determined by the
capillary tube method unless there is sold or given away with such
shortening any compound which, when mixed with such shortening, makes
oleomargarine, butterine or similar substances. Colored oleomargarine
or margarine shall be made of domestic fats or oils and shall not be
made of imported oils which include, without restriction because of
enumeration, whale oil, coconut oil and palm oil.

(b) "Colored oleomargarine" or "colored margarine" is oleomargarine or
margarine having a tint or shade containing more than 1-6/10 degrees
of yellow or of yellow and red collectively but with an excess of
yellow over red, as measured in terms of Lovibond tintometer scales or
its equivalent.

(3) No person shall sell, offer or expose for sale at retail any
oleomargarine or margarine unless:

(a) Such oleomargarine or margarine is packaged;

(b) The net weight of the contents of any package sold in a retail
establishment is one pound;

(c) There appears on the label of the package the word "oleomargarine"
or "margarine" in type or lettering at least as large as any other
type or lettering on the label in a color of print which clearly
contrasts with its background, and a full accurate statement of the
ingredients contained in the oleomargarine or margarine; and

(d) Each part of the contents of the package is contained in a wrapper
or separate container which bears the word "oleomargarine" or
"margarine" in type or lettering not smaller than 20-point type.

(4) The serving of colored oleomargarine or margarine at a public
eating place as a substitute for table butter is prohibited unless it
is ordered by the customer.

(5) The serving of oleomargarine or margarine to students, patients or
inmates of any state institutions as a substitute for table butter is
prohibited, except that such substitution may be ordered by the
institution superintendent when necessary for the health of a specific
patient or inmate, if directed by the physician in charge of the
patient or inmate.

(5m) The department of health and family services shall assist the
department in the enforcement of this section and, in connection with
inspections of food service operations at institutions and
establishments under its inspectional jurisdiction, conduct compliance
inspections and surveys, and report violations directly to the
department.

(6) Any person who violates any provision of this section may be fined
not less than 100 nor more than 500 or imprisoned not more than 3
months or both; and for each subsequent offense may be fined not less
than 500 nor more than 1,000 or imprisoned in the county jail not less
than 6 months nor more than one year.

Wis. Stat. § 97.18

You call that a conspiracy? Until 1967, it was illegal to sell colored
margarine in Wisconsin. People used to drive across the Illinois border and
smuggle it in. I can remember my parents doing this. The only oleo that was
sold here was uncolored, which was an unappetizing white and looked like
Crisco. It came with a tube of yellow food coloring so you could mix it and
make it look better. To add to the comedy, a rural state legislator (Gordy
Roseleip of Darlington) volunteered to do his own blindfolded taste test to
prove he could tell the difference between butter and inferior non-dairy
oleo. The event was conducted with great fanfare....and he proceded to pick
margarine instead of the butter.



"t.racer" wrote in message
...
Wis. Stat. § 97.18 (2006)
97.18. Oleomargarine regulations.



(1) (a) For the purposes of this section "oleomargarine" or
"margarine" includes oleomargarine, margarine, butterine and other
similar substances, fats and fat compounds sufficiently adaptable to
the ordinary uses of butter, to lead readily to use as an alternative
to butter, but this section shall not apply to lard, cream cheese,
cheese food compounds, nor to any other dairy product made exclusively
of milk or milk solids with or without added vitamins, if such product
is sold or distributed in such manner and form as will clearly
distinguish it from butter. Nor shall this section apply to
shortenings not churned or emulsified in milk or cream or having a
melting point of 112 degrees Fahrenheit or more as determined by the
capillary tube method unless there is sold or given away with such
shortening any compound which, when mixed with such shortening, makes
oleomargarine, butterine or similar substances. Colored oleomargarine
or margarine shall be made of domestic fats or oils and shall not be
made of imported oils which include, without restriction because of
enumeration, whale oil, coconut oil and palm oil.

(b) "Colored oleomargarine" or "colored margarine" is oleomargarine or
margarine having a tint or shade containing more than 1-6/10 degrees
of yellow or of yellow and red collectively but with an excess of
yellow over red, as measured in terms of Lovibond tintometer scales or
its equivalent.

(3) No person shall sell, offer or expose for sale at retail any
oleomargarine or margarine unless:

(a) Such oleomargarine or margarine is packaged;

(b) The net weight of the contents of any package sold in a retail
establishment is one pound;

(c) There appears on the label of the package the word "oleomargarine"
or "margarine" in type or lettering at least as large as any other
type or lettering on the label in a color of print which clearly
contrasts with its background, and a full accurate statement of the
ingredients contained in the oleomargarine or margarine; and

(d) Each part of the contents of the package is contained in a wrapper
or separate container which bears the word "oleomargarine" or
"margarine" in type or lettering not smaller than 20-point type.

(4) The serving of colored oleomargarine or margarine at a public
eating place as a substitute for table butter is prohibited unless it
is ordered by the customer.

(5) The serving of oleomargarine or margarine to students, patients or
inmates of any state institutions as a substitute for table butter is
prohibited, except that such substitution may be ordered by the
institution superintendent when necessary for the health of a specific
patient or inmate, if directed by the physician in charge of the
patient or inmate.

(5m) The department of health and family services shall assist the
department in the enforcement of this section and, in connection with
inspections of food service operations at institutions and
establishments under its inspectional jurisdiction, conduct compliance
inspections and surveys, and report violations directly to the
department.

(6) Any person who violates any provision of this section may be fined
not less than 100 nor more than 500 or imprisoned not more than 3
months or both; and for each subsequent offense may be fined not less
than 500 nor more than 1,000 or imprisoned in the county jail not less
than 6 months nor more than one year.

Wis. Stat. § 97.18