MILWAUKEE (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow home cooks to sell small amounts of baked goods at farmers markets and other locations without getting a commercial license.
The bill is aimed at helping people like Lisa Kivirist, who co-owns a bed and breakfast in Browntown. Kivirist estimates she loses about $1,200 a year because she can't sell treats like her winter squash spice muffins to guests to take home.
The bill scheduled for a hearing Wednesday would allow people to sell homemade baked goods without a food processing plant license if they earn less than $10,000 per year from the endeavor.
The exemption applies only to "nonhazardous" foods, such as bread, cookies and muffins that don't need to be refrigerated, and food must be properly labeled.