Story Archive

Illegal Substance

Jean Smith likes to put something special in her tea and her husband’s coffee every morning, but she has to work around the law to do it. “You have to do a taste test and see, I guess,” she said, “but it definitely has a different, richer taste than the other butter does.” The something special is Kerrygold Irish butter, but it’s illegal to sell it in Wisconsin. The dairy-rich state requires all butter sold there to be graded on 32 points spelled out in its law; no other state has a similar law. “I feel suspicious,” said Smith. “Are you protecting Wisconsin dairies?” Kerrygold’s U.S. marketer is working on the problem; meanwhile, Smith drives to Nebraska to buy her butter. (AC/WTMJ Milwaukee) ...Wisconsin butter is great — there’s none better in the state!