GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Just weeks before the holiday season, state law violations are halting sales of some popular goods at cottage bakeries.
Officials with the Brown County Public Health Department have issued 15 cease-and-desist letters in recent weeks to at-home bakeries following anonymous complaints.
Those complaints cite violations of Wisconsin’s Cottage Food Law, which prohibits the sale of “potentially hazardous food items.”
"I got one [a letter], and it was a complete misunderstanding," said Marissa Brooks, owner of Sweet Spot Sourdough. She had listed bread items with fresh fruit on her menu.
Wisconsin's Cottage Food Law prohibits the sale of perishable food items that require refrigeration from home kitchens. Meat, fruit, and cheese products are typically banned—unless they pass pH and water activity tests.
Paula Cambray, owner of Bad Moon Rising Inclusion Sourdough, has invested heavily in complying with testing requirements.
"I've got $1,000 into testing recipes, of which all have failed," Cambray said.
Testing each recipe costs $50, creating a financial burden for some small business owners who can’t afford to test their menu items.
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"Until they change the law, there's nothing we can do but follow what the law is," explained Cambray.
Brown County Public Health warned that larger fines or citations could be issued to businesses that continue selling prohibited items after receiving a letter.
Bakers like Cambray and Brooks feel they haven’t been given an adequate opportunity to explain their compliance efforts before receiving the letters.
"What if we are following it, and you're threatening to charge us?” expressed one cottage baker in the county, who asked to remain anonymous. “That's a lot of money when we are following the rules, but you just didn't allow us to explain anything,” the baker said.
Cottage bakers tell NBC 26 they will comply with the law, but the timing of the enforcement action has created additional challenges for some, as many seasonal customer favorites, like pumpkin pie and fruitcake, fall under the restricted categories.
