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