Honey sweet for ‘Ma and Pa’

The 'Pickle Bill'

A Wisconsin law that’s sometimes called the “pickle bill” allows limited sales of home-canned foods without a license. The seller does not need to register with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for those sales.

Canned products that can be sold without a license are fruits and vegetables that are either naturally acidic, or acidified by pickling or fermenting. The products must have an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or less. That’s a measure of acidity; the smaller the pH value, the more acidic the food.

Examples of products allowed if they meet the pH requirement:

• pickled fruits and vegetables – but not refrigerator pickles

• sauerkraut

• Salsas

• chutneys

• jams and jellies

• applesauce

No more than $5,000 in sales per year are permitted.

• retail only – direct from producer to consumer

• only at community or social events in Wisconsin – such as bazaars or at farmers markets

Sign are required at the point of sale, stating, “These canned goods are homemade and not subject to state inspection.”

Product labels must include several items.

• name and address of the person who did the canning

• date of canning

• the statement “This product was made in a private home not subject to state licensing or inspection”

• all ingredients in descending order of prominence, including the common name for any ingredient that originates from milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans or sesame – these are ingredients that can cause severe allergic reactions in some people, who must be able to recognize when they are present

Visit datcp.wi.gov and search for “pickle” for more-detailed information.