Supreme Court Upholds Foie Gras Ban in California

Foie gras advocates have lost yet another round of challenges to the foie gras ban after the Supreme Court upheld the current ban as constitutional. The foie gras industry has continued to challenge the ban since its inception, labelling it as unfair and unconstitutional to no avail. This would be the second time the foie gras industry tried to challenge the ban since it came into full effect in 2012.

Foie gras is one delicacy that has long been steeped in controversy due to the method in which it is prepared. Foie gras is the fatty liver of a goose or duck that has been force fed until their livers bloat to nearly 10 times its natural size at which point they are slaughtered. Videos have surfaced in the past of the geese / ducks being force fed, shocking the animal advocacy community with calls across the board to ban the controversial delicacy. In the videos, geese are aggressively grabbed by the backs of their heads followed by a large feeding tube being jammed down their throats, pumping them full of unnecessary food. The process appears painful, cruel, and horrendous to watch.

Foie gras advocates argue up and down that because geese have no gag reflexes, they feel no pain when having these tubes rammed down their throats. Unfortunately, the videos suggest an entirely different situation, one that is undeniably difficult to watch. Perhaps the geese don't feel the pain of having the tube in their throats, but they undoubtedly suffer emotional and mental distress when being tugged around aggressively and held in place while being force fed. I would also assume that as their livers begin to bloat, they would likely become uncomfortable and suffer ill effects of their diseased livers. I can also assume pretty confidently that when their time to be slaughtered comes around, they feel nervousness and fear as they are rounded up to be killed. 

There is no argument for foie gras. It's nothing more than a novelty product, one that no one can argue its necessity to our survival in any way, shape, or form. Unfortunately for the foie gras industry, people around the world have recognized foie gras as cruel and a product that they would likely not buy because of the method of preparation. In fact, foie gras is banned in various countries and states across the world for this very reason. There is no justification for what is done to these birds despite the pleas from the foie gras industry.

For now, foie gras remains banned in California and here's to hoping it stays that way!

HAPPY VEG