Victory! California to Reinstate Ban on Foie Gras

After being banned back in 2011 and brought back in 2015, foie gras is once again banned in California! This decision was reached, in part, by the emotional testimony of Circuit Court Judge Harry Pregerson. He implored the state to recognize foie gras as the cruel product it is and was, ultimately, successful.

Foie gras is made by forcibly shoving a metal tube down a duck or goose’s throat and force-feeding them until their liver fattens up. Through these force-feedings, the size of their liver is sometimes made to be ten times what it should be. People then eat this fatty liver.

Ducklings are sent to this awful life. Female ducklings are at a huge risk for slaughter because their livers have more veins and because their lives are not considered valuable to foie gras farmers, they’re typically used for meat instead. The animals are kept in tiny cages and live lives of pain and suffering for a product people can live without. Morality aside, foie gras is just plain not good for you.

The new law will prohibit the import of foie gras into California. There are little to no producers of foie gras in California, so the sale of foie grass will plummet. It’s worth noting that the change won’t take place immediately. But that doesn’t mean this win isn’t a big deal. There are resistant chefs who say they’ll continue to sell the product but they’ll soon be dealing with the law once it takes effect in a few months.

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