Chapter 97

97.30(5) (5) Rule making. The department may promulgate rules to establish the fees required under sub. (3) or to govern the operation of retail food establishments. Rules may include standards for the construction and maintenance of facilities; the design, installation, cleaning and maintenance of equipment and utensils; personnel sanitation; food handling, display and storage; and food sources and food labeling. No rule promulgated under this subsection may prohibit dogs from the premises of a retail food establishment that sells only previously packaged food.

97.30 History History: 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 174; 1991 a. 39, 210; 1993 a. 16, 27, 264, 491; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3599, 9126 (19); 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2013 a. 298, 302; 2015 a. 55, 195; 2017 a. 225; 2019 a. 51, 60; 2021 a. 143.

97.30 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also chs. ATCP 55 and 75, Wis. adm. code.

97.305 97.305 Restaurants serving fish.

97.305(1) (1) A restaurant or temporary restaurant may serve fish taken from the wild to the individual who caught the fish, or to his or her guests, without obtaining a permit under s. 29.541 (1) (b) if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

97.305(1)(a) (a) The fish are legally taken.

97.305(1)(b) (b) While the fish are at the restaurant and before the fish are prepared for eating, they are stored in a cooler, which may be a portable cooler, that does not contain any other food.

97.305(1)(c) (c) The area where the fish are prepared for eating is washed and sanitized before and after preparation of the fish.

97.305(1)(d) (d) All items used to prepare and serve the fish are washed in a dishwasher after such use.

97.305(2) (2) A restaurant or temporary restaurant may make a pecuniary profit from preparing and serving fish as provided under sub. (1).

97.305 History History: 2007 a. 20; 2015 a. 55 s. 4088; 2015 Stats. s. 97.305.

97.307 97.307 Average annual surveys. The department or a local health department granted agent status under s. 97.41 shall annually make a number of inspections of restaurants in this state that shall equal the number of restaurants for which annual licenses are issued under s. 97.30.

97.307 History History: 1987 a. 27; 1993 a. 27 s. 69; Stats. 1993 s. 254.66; 2015 a. 55 s. 4082; Stats. 2015 s. 97.307.

97.32 97.32 Special dairy and food inspectors.

97.32(1) (1) Special dairy and food inspectors may be appointed by the department for any factory, plant, receiving station, or group thereof, which buys or receives milk or cream for the purpose of manufacturing, processing or any other purpose whatsoever, upon petition therefor signed by more than two-thirds of the regular patrons of such factory, plant, receiving station, or group thereof, or by the officers of such factory, plant, receiving station or group thereof, or of the officers of any association organized under ch. 185 or 193 representing patrons of such factory, plant, receiving station or group thereof, and upon receiving satisfactory proof that such special dairy and food inspectors will be compensated in full for all services rendered and traveling expenses incurred upon and pursuant to such appointment as provided in this section. If the inspector is appointed pursuant to petition signed by the officers of an organization, such compensation and expenses shall be paid by such organization; and any factory, plant, receiving station or group thereof shall pay to the association the checkoff as contracted for between the member and the association. If appointed pursuant to petition signed by patrons, each patron of the factory, plant, receiving station or group thereof shall pay such proportion of the total amount of such compensation and expenses as the amount of milk or cream delivered thereto by the patron bears to the total amount delivered thereto by all patrons. The state shall not be liable for any such compensation or expenses.

97.32(3) (3) Each such special dairy and food inspector shall have all powers conferred by law upon dairy and food inspectors, shall at all times be under the supervision of the department and shall make such reports to the department as the department may require. The special dairy and food inspector shall supervise and inspect the weighing and testing of and shall inspect all milk, cream, butter or cheese delivered to such factory, plant, receiving station or group thereof, except that if the special dairy and food inspector be appointed upon petition by an association organized under ch. 185 or 193, the special dairy and food inspector shall perform duties only for its members, and for such purpose the special dairy and food inspector may use any or all weighing or testing apparatus in such factory, plant, receiving station or group thereof. In addition to the duties herein specifically prescribed, the special dairy and food inspector shall perform such duties as the patrons or organization compensating the special dairy and food inspector or the department may direct.

97.32(4) (4) An appointment of a special dairy and food inspector may be denied, suspended or revoked by the department as provided in s. 93.06 (7). Rehearing and judicial review shall be as provided in ch. 227.

97.32 History History: 1975 c. 308; 1975 c. 414 s. 28; 1993 a. 492; 2005 a. 441.

97.33 97.33 Certificate of food protection practices.

97.33(1g) (1g) In this section:

97.33(1g)(a) (a) “Approved examination” means an examination that allows an individual to demonstrate basic knowledge of food protection practices and that is approved by the department as meeting the standards established under sub. (6) (b).

97.33(1g)(b) (b) “Certificate holder” means an individual who holds a valid certificate of food protection practices issued under this section.

97.33(1g)(c) (c) “Food handler” means an individual engaged in the preparation or processing of food at a restaurant and who is not a certificate holder.

97.33(1m) (1m) No person may conduct, maintain, manage, or operate a school lunchroom that is in a school that is participating in the national school lunch program under 42 USC 1751 to 1769j for which food service is directly provided by the school unless the operator or manager of the lunchroom, or his or her designee, is a certificate holder. For purposes of this subsection, the “operator or manager of the lunchroom” is the individual responsible for the administration of food services for a private school, charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r), or school district. A private school, charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r), or school district complies with the requirements of this subsection if the school or school district has one certificate holder.

97.33(1r) (1r) After January 1, 1995, no person may conduct, maintain, manage or operate a restaurant unless the operator or manager of the restaurant is a certificate holder.

97.33(2) (2) Except as provided in s. 93.135, the department may issue a certificate of food protection practices to an individual who satisfactorily completes an approved examination or who has achieved comparable compliance.

97.33(3) (3) Each certificate is valid for 5 years from the date of issuance and, except as provided in s. 93.135, may be renewed by the certificate holder if he or she satisfactorily completes all of the following:

97.33(3)(a) (a) If he or she operates or manages a restaurant employing more than 5 food handlers, an approved examination.

97.33(3)(b) (b) If he or she operates or manages a restaurant employing 5 or fewer food handlers, one of the following:

97.33(3)(b)1. 1. A recertification training course approved by the department.

97.33(3)(b)2. 2. An approved examination.

97.33(3g) (3g) 

97.33(3g)(a) (a) For a certificate issued under sub. (3) (b) 1., all of the following apply:

97.33(3g)(a)1. 1. The certificate is called a “licensure of food safety training for small operators.”

97.33(3g)(a)2. 2. The certificate applies only in a restaurant the certificate holder is operating or managing at the time of the renewal or in other restaurants employing 5 or fewer food handlers.

97.33(3g)(a)3. 3. A licensure of food safety training for small operators may be renewed under sub. (3) (b) 1. every 5 years.

97.33(3g)(b) (b) The department shall approve recertification training courses that were approved by the department as of December 31, 2014, and substantially similar courses.

97.33(3g)(c) (c) The department may not adopt different regulatory and inspection standards based on the type of certificate issued under this section.

97.33(3m) (3m) The department shall accept relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant has obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g), to count toward satisfying the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to obtain a certificate of food protection practices if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to obtain a certificate of food protection practices.

97.33(5) (5) The department shall conduct evaluations of the effect that the food protection practices certification program has on compliance by restaurants with requirements established under s. 97.30 (5).

97.33(6) (6) The department shall promulgate rules concerning all of the following:

97.33(6)(a) (a) Establishing a fee for certification and recertification of food protection practices, except that a certification fee may not be imposed on an individual who is eligible for the veterans fee waiver program under s. 45.44.

97.33(6)(b) (b) Specifying standards for approval of examinations and training courses for recertification of food protection practices required under this section.

97.33(6)(c) (c) Establishing procedures for issuance, except as provided in s. 93.135, of certificates of food protection practices, including application submittal and review.

97.33 History History: 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 1993 a. 27 s. 74; Stats. 1993 s. 254.71; 1997 a. 27, 191; 2011 a. 120, 209; 2013 a. 292; 2015 a. 9, 46; 2015 a. 55 s. 4087; Stats. 2015 s. 97.33; 2017 a. 366 s. 70.

97.33 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. ATCP 75, Wis. adm. code.

97.34 97.34 Bottled drinking water and soda water beverage; standards; sampling and analysis.

97.34(1) (1) In this section:

97.34(1)(a) (a) “Bottled drinking water” means all water packaged in bottles or similar containers and sold or distributed for drinking purposes. This term includes distilled water, artesian water, spring water and mineral water, whether carbonated or uncarbonated.

97.34(1)(b) (b) “Soda water beverage” means and includes all beverages commonly known as soft drinks or soda water, whether carbonated, uncarbonated, sweetened or flavored. This term does not include alcohol beverages.

97.34(2) (2) 

97.34(2)(a) (a) The department shall promulgate by rule standards of purity for all ingredients used in the manufacture or bottling of soda water beverages or bottled drinking water which ensure a pure and unadulterated product.

97.34(2)(b) (b) No person may manufacture or bottle bottled drinking water for sale or distribution in this state unless the bottled drinking water complies with state drinking water standards adopted by the department of natural resources under s. 280.11, 281.15 or 281.17 (8) and with health-related enforcement standards adopted by the department of natural resources under ch. 160.

97.34(2)(c) (c) The department may require testing of bottled drinking water for substances subject to any standard under par. (b) and for any other substance if the department determines that the water system used as the source of the bottled drinking water has a potential of being contaminated, based on contamination of other water systems or groundwater in the vicinity. The department shall adopt by rule requirements for periodic sampling and analysis for the purposes of this subsection. The department shall require all analyses to be conducted by a laboratory certified under s. 299.11.

97.34(2)(d) (d) No person may manufacture or bottle bottled drinking water for sale or distribution in this state unless the water system used by the manufacturer or bottler complies with ch. 280 and rules promulgated by the department of natural resources under that chapter.

97.34(2)(e) (e) The department shall publish an annual report summarizing the results of bottled drinking water sampling and analysis.

97.34 History History: 1973 c. 126; 1981 c. 79 s. 17; 1983 a. 410; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1995 a. 227, 378; 1997 a. 35.

97.41 97.41 Retail food: agent status for local health departments.

97.41(1) (1) In this section:

97.41(1)(a) (a) “Local board of health” has the meaning given in s. 250.01 (3).

97.41(1)(b) (b) “Local health department” has the meaning given in s. 250.01 (4).

97.41(1m) (1m) In the administration of this chapter, the department may enter into a written agreement with a local health department, if the jurisdictional area of the local health department has a population greater than 5,000, which designates the local health department as the agent of the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection for issuing licenses to and making investigations or inspections of retail food establishments, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c). When the designation is made, no license other than the license issued by the local health department under this section may be required by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or the local health department for the same operations. The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall oversee the designation of agents under this section to ensure that, to the extent feasible, the same local health department is granted agent status under this section and under s. 97.615 (2). Except as otherwise provided by the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, a local health department granted agent status shall regulate all types of establishments for which this subsection permits the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection to delegate regulatory authority.

97.41(2) (2) A local health department granted agent status under this section shall meet standards adopted, by rule, by the department. The department shall annually evaluate the licensing, investigation and inspection program of each local health department granted agent status. If, at any time, a local health department granted agent status fails to meet the standards, the department may revoke its agent status.

97.41(3) (3) The department shall provide education and training to agents designated under this section to ensure uniformity in the enforcement of this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter.

97.41(4) (4) 

97.41(4)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a local health department granted agent status under this section shall establish and collect the license fee for retail food establishments, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c). The local health department may establish separate fees for pre-licensing inspections of new establishments, for pre-licensing inspections of existing establishments for which a person intends to be the new operator or for the issuance of duplicate licenses. No fee may exceed the local health department’s reasonable costs of issuing licenses to, making investigations and inspections of, and providing education, training and technical assistance to the establishments, plus the state fee established under sub. (5). A local health department which is granted agent status under this section or under s. 97.615 may issue a single license and establish and collect a single fee which authorizes the operation on the same premises of more than one type of establishment with respect to which it is granted agent status under this section or under s. 97.615 (2). This paragraph does not apply to retail food establishments, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c), that are micro markets.

97.41(4)(am) (am)

97.41(4)(am)1. 1.

97.41(4)(am)1.a. a. Within 2 business days after an applicant submits an application to a local health department granted agent status under this section for a license to operate a new retail food establishment, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c), that is a micro market, the local health department may inspect the applicant’s new retail food establishment that is a micro market for the purposes provided in s. 97.30 (2) (d).

97.41(4)(am)1.b. b. If a local health department granted agent status under this section conducts under subd. 1. a. an inspection of a new retail food establishment, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c), before issuing a license, the local health department may establish and collect from the applicant a pre-licensing inspection fee of $40 if the applicant will operate one micro market located within a single building or $60 if the applicant will operate 2 or more micro markets located in the same building.

97.41(4)(am)1.c. c. Notwithstanding subd. 2., a local health department that collects a fee from an applicant under this subdivision may not collect a fee under subd. 2. for an annual license from the applicant.

97.41(4)(am)2. 2. If a local health department granted agent status under this section does not under subd. 1. a. conduct a pre-licensing inspection of an applicant’s new retail food establishment, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c), that is a micro market, the local health department shall issue a retail food establishment license to the applicant and before one year after the date that the license is issued the local health department shall inspect the applicant’s new retail food establishment that is a micro market for the purposes provided in s. 97.30 (2) (d). A local health department granted agent status under this section shall collect the license fees under s. 97.30 (3s) for retail food establishments, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c), that are micro markets.

97.41(4)(b) (b) A local health department granted agent status under this section may contract with the department for the department to collect fees and issue licenses. The department shall collect from the local health department the actual and reasonable cost of providing the services.

97.41(5) (5) The department shall establish state fees for its costs related to setting standards for retail food establishments, as defined in s. 97.30 (1) (c), setting standards for agents under this section and monitoring and evaluating the activities of, and providing education and training to, agent local health departments. Agent local health departments shall include the state fees in the license fees established under sub. (4) (a) or (am), collect the state fees, and reimburse the department for the state fees collected. The state fee may not exceed 20 percent of the license fee charged under s. 97.30 (3), or for a retail food establishment that is a micro market, 20 percent of the license fee charged under s. 97.30 (3s), for a license issued by the department.

97.41(6) (6) If, under this section, a local health department becomes an agent or its agent status is discontinued during a licensee’s license year, the department and the local health department shall divide any license fee paid for that license year according to the proportions of the license year occurring before and after the local health department’s agent status is granted or discontinued. No additional fee may be required during the license year due to the change in agent status.

97.41(7) (7) A local board of health may adopt and impose regulations on licensees and premises for which the local health department is the designated agent under this section, which are stricter than this chapter or rules promulgated by the department under this chapter. No such regulation may conflict with this chapter or rules promulgated by the department.

97.41(8) (8) This section does not limit the authority of the department to inspect establishments in jurisdictional areas of local health departments where agent status is granted if it inspects in response to an emergency, for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the local health department’s licensing, inspection and enforcement program or at the request of the local health department.

97.41(9) (9) The department shall hold a hearing under ch. 227 if any interested person, in lieu of proceeding under ch. 68, appeals to the department alleging any of the following:

97.41(9)(a) (a) A permit fee established by a local health department granted agent status exceeds the reasonable costs described under sub. (4) (a).

97.41(9)(b) (b) The person issuing, refusing to issue, suspending or revoking a permit or making an investigation or inspection of the appellant has a financial interest in a regulated establishment which may interfere with his or her ability to properly take that action.

97.41(9)(c) (c) That a license fee for a retail food establishment license issued by an agent local health department under this section exceeds the reasonable costs of that agent local health department for issuing the license, investigating and inspecting the establishment, and providing education, training and technical assistance to the establishment.

97.41 History History: 1983 a. 203; 1985 a. 29 ss. 1643y to 1645, 3202 (3); 1987 a. 27 ss. 1693hL, 3200 (4); 1987 a. 399, 403; 1989 a. 56; 1993 a. 27; 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19); 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 225; 2019 a. 51.

97.42 97.42 Compulsory inspection of livestock or poultry, and meat or poultry products.

97.42(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

97.42(1)(b) (b) “Capable of use as human food” applies to any meat or poultry product unless it is denatured, identified as unfit for human consumption as required by department rules, or is naturally inedible by humans.

97.42(1)(bg) (bg) “Captive game animal” means an animal of a normally wild type that is produced in captivity for slaughter and consumption. “Captive game animal” does not include a farm-raised deer, ratite, captive game bird, fish, or an animal that is kept solely for hunting purposes at a hunting preserve.

97.42(1)(br) (br) “Captive game bird” means a bird of a normally wild type that is produced in captivity for slaughter and consumption, including a pheasant, quail, wild turkey, migratory wildfowl, or other bird that the department designates as a captive game bird by rule. “Captive game bird” does not include poultry, ratites, or birds kept solely for hunting purposes at a hunting preserve.

97.42(1)(cm) (cm) “Denature” means to intentionally make an item unfit for human consumption by adding a substance to it to alter the item’s appearance or other natural characteristics.

97.42(1)(d) (d) “Establishment” means a plant or premises, including retail premises, where livestock or poultry are slaughtered for human consumption, or where meat or poultry products are processed, but does not include any of the following: