Posted January 8, 2015
A U.S.
District Court judge has struck down the ban prohibiting chefs from serving
foie gras, according to San
Francisco Eater. Fortune also published an article available here, LA
Times here,
and SF Gate here.
The lawsuit
was brought by a group of out-of-state foie gras producers, retailers, and
importers. A judge ruled that it was legal to sell foie gras imported from
outside of California at restaurants within the state.
Foie gras is considered a delicacy made from specially
fattened duck liver. The ban, which had been in place since 2012, prohibited
restaurants in the state from importing and serving products that are “the
result of force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird’s liver
beyond normal size,” according to Fortune.
Animal rights groups supported the ban arguing that the dish
led to force-feeding birds “for the purpose of enlarging the bird’s liver
beyond normal size.”
Marcus Henley, operations manager for Hudson Valley Foie
Gras, stated that the production of foie gras is humane and in compliance with
all U.S. regulatory standards,
according
to SF
Gate.
“We’ve always contended and have had a lot of support from
veterinarians and farmers that our process is acceptable agriculture,” said
Henley.
La Toque chef Ken Frank fought to legalize foie gras,
according to LA
Times.
“Foie gras is legal in California and will be on my menu
tonight,” said Frank. “I haven’t been without foie gras a single day since the
ban went into effect, but tonight is the first time I’ve been able to charge
for it.”
California was the only state to ban foie gras, according to
Fortune.
For more information on animal welfare, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
