Say “No” to the Foie Gras Ban in California

June 6, 2012

Frédéric Lefebvre, a former minister in the French government under Nicolas Sarkozy, is coming to the aid of the people opposed to the foie gras ban in California by organizing a petition. Effective July 1, 2012, it will be illegal to sell to produce and to sell the delicacy in the Golden State.

Here is what California Senate bill No. 1520, signed on September 29, 2004, by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, says (extracts):

CHAPTER 13.4. FORCE FED BIRDS
25980. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
A bird includes, but is not limited to, a duck or goose.
(b) Force feeding a bird means a process that causes the bird to consume more food than a typical bird of the same species would consume voluntarily. Force feeding methods include, but are not limited to, delivering feed through a tube or other device inserted into the bird’s esophagus.
25981. A person may not force feed a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird’s liver beyond normal size, or hire another person to do so.
25982. A product may not be sold in California if it is the result of force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird’s liver beyond normal size.

Brush up on your French and watch my exclusive video interview above with Mr. Lefebvre about a topic that has become controversial for reasons that escape the majority of consumers.

If you want to keep foie gras on your plate, sign the petition. That is the only way to start reversing the ban.

To learn more about this subject, you may also listen to Ariane Daguin, owner of D’Artagnan; Michael Ginor, co-founder of Hudson Valley Foie Gras; and Ana Huson, founder of Pre-Fixe.com.