Animal Rights Pleas Head to State Capital

Animal Rights Pleas Head to the State Capital

The battle over the sale and production of foie gras is continuing in the town of Sonoma, California. The city council was presented with a petition to ban this food product in the city limits.

Animal rights activists have been actively involved in protest, awareness and legislation to ban the process of force feeding ducks, or geese, by inserting a tube down the throat and forcing grain into the stomach toproduce a fattened liver that sells for over $20 for a quarter of a pound. The owners of Sonoma Foie Gras, a producer of this delicacy located in the San Joaquin Valley and also one of the few producers in the United States, decided to open Sonoma Saveurs, a food specialty shop and restaurant, which features foie gras off the historic Sonoma Plaza. Ironically the plaza houses two duck ponds.

Bill no. 1520 was introduced to the California Sate legislature on February 19, 2004 by Democratic Senator John Burton. Senator Burton was unable to comment on the nature of this proposal but it would establish similar requirements to the existing law which demands ethical treatment while raising horses and other equine animals. Bill 1520 would both prohibit a person from force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the liver beyond normal size and would restrict hiring another person to do so as well. The passage of this bill would also make the sale of foie gras illegal in the state if it is the result of force feeding to create the massive liver. This bill is currently being reviewed and a decision will be made on or before March 21, 2004