Milwaukee County does not regulate cottage food. Selling homemade foods is governed by Wisconsin state law and DATCP, including the Wis. Stat. 97.29 'pickle bill' exemption for home-canned high-acid foods sold under $5,000 per year.
Cottage food is a state matter in Wisconsin, not a Milwaukee County one. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) administers the rules. Under the 'pickle bill,' Wis. Stat. 97.29 lets a person sell home-canned pickles and other processed fruits or vegetables with an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower without a food processing license, provided annual sales stay under $5,000 and sales occur at a community or social event or a Wisconsin farmers market. Each container must be labeled with the statement that the product was made in a private home not subject to state licensing or inspection. Separate DATCP rules allow certain home-baked goods. The county does not regulate cottage food.
Selling outside the exemption, exceeding the $5,000 cap, or omitting the required disclaimer label can draw DATCP enforcement, ordered sales stops, and civil penalties under state food law.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Milwaukee County, WI
Animal hoarding in Milwaukee County is addressed through Wisconsin's cruelty statutes. Wis. Stat. 951.02 bars treating any animal in a cruel manner, and 951....
Milwaukee County, WI
Feeding wild animals is regulated municipally in Milwaukee County and by the Wisconsin DNR for deer. The City of Milwaukee restricts bird feeders to rodent-p...
Milwaukee County, WI
Milwaukee County does not regulate backyard composting on residential property. Home composting is broadly allowed, but pile management, odor, and vermin sta...
Milwaukee County, WI
Milwaukee County does not regulate artificial or synthetic turf on residential property. Wisconsin has no statewide turf ban, so whether you may install arti...
Milwaukee County, WI
Milwaukee County has no ordinance dictating plant choice on private yards, but it strongly protects native plants and native fungi within its 157-park system...
Milwaukee County, WI
Milwaukee County places no restriction on residential rainwater harvesting, and Wisconsin does not require a permit to collect rooftop rainwater for outdoor ...
See how Milwaukee County's cottage food operations rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.