When margarine made its way to the United States in the 1870s, farmers were concerned to the extent that the federal Margarine Act was passed in 1886. The legislation put taxes and licensing fees on the product while states including Maine, Wisconsin and Ohio banned it completely. The decision to enact margarine laws stemmed from margarine companies coloring the initially white product to make it look yellow, which was deemed an act to deceive the public. States including Vermont, New Hampshire and South Dakota passed laws stating that margarine be colored pink.