Denver and Washington DC Vote to Ban Foie Gras

Voters in Denver and Washington D.C. have overwhelmingly passed ballot measures to ban foie gras. The midterm election results signal a major victory for animal rights advocates targeting cruel luxury products.

Voters in Denver and Washington D.C. have passed ballot measures to ban the production and sale of foie gras. The results mark a new phase for animal rights efforts targeting the luxury food item. Election Results Washington D.C. Initiative 86 won 73 percent of the vote on Tuesday according to provisional results, as reported by The Korea Times. Farmsanctuary.org notes that the measure passed with over 73 percent of the vote. Denver Initiated Ordinance 311 passed with over 66 percent of the vote, according to farmsanctuary.org. Animal Suffering Foie gras is marketed as a delicacy and is widely opposed by the American public for the horrific animal suffering behind it, according to farmsanctuary.org. TheKorea Times reports that activists say the production of foie gras is torturous to ducks and geese. To produce the food, feeding tubes are shoved down the throats of ducks and geese, who are force-fed until their livers swell to up to 10 times their natural size, according to farmsanctuary.org. Initiative 86 bars the force-feeding of birds to enlarge their livers as well as the sale of any product resulting from the practice, The Korea Times reports. Farm Sanctuary has seen firsthand the toll this cruel practice takes on animals, and has rescued many survivors of the foie gras industry, according to farmsanctuary.org. This includes Monet and Matisse, who arrived covered in sores, cuts, and scrapes from force-feeding and confinement in cages, but found healing in sanctuary and in the close bond they shared, farmsanctuary.org states. Legal Challenges and Penalties Washington currently has no farms or facilities producing the classic French delicacy, according to The Korea Times. However, restaurants that serve it could face fines of $1,000 to $5,000 as well as a suspension of their operating license, The Korea Times notes. Celebrity chef Jose Andres, who owns several restaurants in the capital, was among several high-profile critics of the effort, according to The Korea Times. In October, Andres said they were banning all meats and asked people to concentrate on things that matter, citing cars with children being shot by ICE, immigrants working in farms and restaurants being deported many with green cards and even citizens, and many other issues, as reported by The Korea Times. The ban could face possible delays or be overturned, with media reports saying foie gras producers and restaurants are likely to challenge it in court, according to The Korea Times. Farmsanctuary.org notes that the D.C. and Denver bans are likely to face similar obstacles, but with overwhelming public support and animal protection groups on their side, they will have many defenders, too. Other Bans and Industry Context Distribution of foie gras has already been banned statewide in California and in the U.S. cities of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Portland, Oregon, according to The Korea Times. Farmsanctuary.org points to California's 2004 law banning the production and sale of foie gras as the start of positive steps toward ending this egregious cruelty to birds, and notes that California's foie gras ban finally went into full effect. A 2019 attempt by New York City to ban foie gras has yet to take effect because of protracted legal battles, according to The Korea Times. Farmsanctuary.org reports that in March of this year, a court ruling allowed New York City's foie gras ban to take full effect despite agribusiness challenges. New York state is home to the two main foie gras producers in the United States, according to The Korea Times. Jordan Grinor, director of Hudson Valley Farms, told AFP in September that governments should not have the power to say what people are allowed to eat, and stated that is really the question here, as reported by The Korea Times. Farmsanctuary.org notes that the people of Rhode Island want a foie gras ban, and states that with the help of readers, the fight against foie gras continues as they advocate for a food system rooted in compassion rather than cruelty.

Read source: Sentient Media