Washington, D.C., voters will consider a referendum to ban the sale of foie gras during November’s midterm elections. Animal-rights activists needed signatures from 5% of registered voters to put the proposal on the ballot and say they collected nearly 32,000. The measure targets foie gras made by force-feeding geese or ducks.
James Nance, an activist with Pro Animal DC, criticized the practice of inserting a tube into a duck’s throat to enlarge its liver. Supporters point to California and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which have adopted restrictions. Group spokesperson Natalie Fulton says Washington is the country’s third-largest foie gras consumer and argues that ending sales would have a significant industry impact.
The proposal’s most prominent opponent is Bart Hutchins, chef and owner of Butterworth’s, an upscale restaurant near Congress that is popular with the Trump administration. He serves foie gras in several forms, including ice cream, and considers it essential to his menu. Hutchins fears the measure could harm French-style restaurants and says it reflects a trend of trampling on culinary heritage. He warns that banning one niche product could lead to restrictions on others.
Jordan Grinor, director of Hudson Valley Farms, one of only two commercial foie gras producers in the United States, disputes claims of cruelty. He says ducks naturally gorge before migration and build up fat in their livers, and describes force-feeding as a traditional livestock practice. Grinor says a Washington ban could cost at least one-third of the 150 people employed in foie gras production at his farm in northern New York.