The Wisconsin butter war
"Black Market" Kerrygold butter is merely the latest in the sticky, speckled history of Wisconsin's 1953 butter regulations.
Few living today recall the Wisconsin margarine mandate. When margarine was first sold in Illinois the dairy state made sure that it would not resemble the real thing. A small color packet was included with your purchase which, if you wanted something resembling butter to serve at your table, you needed to hand-mix color into the lard-lookalike.
As a child, it was my responsibility to churn the opaque white gummy butter substitute blob golden. Make no mistake, margarine was not Wisconsin butter.
Illinois residents are good neighbors. We have spent hours in the Dairy Barn line at the Wisconsin State Fair to purchase a cream puff or three. We understand the value of having the real thing and will support our northern neighbors' grass-fed butter insurrection. If our northern neighbors want Kerrygold butter and Kerrygold cheese, they shall have them. I will march. Family, friends and total strangers will march in support of Wisconsin Kerrygold fans.
"Graded" spread is un-American!
When Wisconsin's stringent butter provisions have been swept aside, I will return to Illinois with head held high - and a few pounds of bratwurst and extra sharp cheddar hidden in a cooler in the car.
Sheila M. Barrett
Elk Grove Village