There was little doubt about the outcome of the vote. The New York City Council adopted, Wednesday, October 30, a text prohibiting the marketing of foie gras from the end of 2022, a decision which should deprive the industry, local in particular, of an important market.
A majority of elected officials had shown their support for this text, presented at the beginning of the year by several municipal councilors and which prohibits the sale of foie gras, to use it or even to hold it. Offenders will be liable to a fine of between 500 and 2,000 dollars (between 448 and 1,800 euros), which may be renewed every twenty-four hours.
Several leaders of companies in the sector in the New York area have indicated their intention to challenge this law, which has yet to be ratified by the Democratic mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio.
Force-feeding is an “atrocity”
Big Apple will join the State of California, where marketing has been banned since January, even if the legal battle continues around this decision. In other countries, such as Denmark, the United Kingdom or Australia, the production of foie gras is already banned. “It’s a historic day for animal rights in New York”, commented, after the vote, Matthew Dominguez, political advisor of the association Voters for Animal Rights (“voters for animal rights”), which played a major role in this issue.
The text adopted Wednesday specifies that the ban concerns products resulting from the force-feeding of animals, a practice denounced by elected officials as well as by several animal protection associations. For Mr. Dominguez, force-feeding is a “Atrocity”. The animal rights association Animal Welfare Institute hailed, in a Tweet, the end of the marketing in New York of “This inhuman luxury food”.
BREAKING: @NYCCouncil has banned the sale of foie gras! Thank you to the sponsor, @CarlinaRivera, for ensuring that… https://t.co/m33Cor2Krk
An alternative process
Today there is an offer of foie gras obtained without force-feeding, but its volumes are insignificant on an industry scale. A French start-up, Aviwell, is also working on an alternative process that could be used by industry. In addition to amateurs, retailers and restaurateurs, the first affected by the measure will be the two large producers located north of New York, Hudson Valley Foie Gras and La Belle Farm. Foie gras from these two farms supplies a significant part of the New York market, even if the measure would also have an impact for French producers.
To the opponents, who assure that the animals suffer from force-feeding, Hudson Valley Foie Gras responds that the quantity of grains administered to the ducks does not exceed that which they could eat by themselves. They also point out that the duck gizzard naturally has a storage function and does not have the sensitivity of that of a man.
The measure “would be dramatic”
“We are going to fightreacted Ariane Daguin, founder and CEO of D’Artagnan, an intermediary that supplies a large part of the New York market with foie gras. We’re going to go to trial. ” For her, the new law “Is not constitutional at all”. “It’s not up to a city council to decide what is or is not cruel to animals. ” The entry into force of the measure “Would be dramatic” for D’Artagnan, she says, because foie gras and pieces of fatty duck weigh about 10% of its turnover, or $ 15 million.
For Izzy Yanay, co-founder of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, activists have attacked its industry because it is modest compared to the giants of livestock and agri-food. “It’s very easy to attack us”, says the business manager, who announces a “Tragedy” for some of its 400 employees if the measure comes into effect. “They’ve been waiting for this victory for forty years”, he continued, referring to animal rights activists. “They made a breach in the glass wall. Now they have their precedent ”, which will allow them, according to him, to attack other industries.
“All breeding and production is inhumane. Why go after a little one like that? “, responded Hugue Dufour, chef of the restaurant Mr. Wells Steakhouse, in the district of Queens. “Those who get by are still fast food, the big chains”, added the chef, who serves foie gras in his establishment.
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