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There has been a disturbing, if predictable, turn of events that requires immediate action. Legislation that once sought to prohibit the production of foie gras in New York has been turned completely inside out. Rather than stopping cruelty, it would now guarantee the legalized torture of animals for years to come.
Abuse An Animal . . . The New York force feeding bill does not even pretend to ban the sale of foie gras. What it does pretend to do is criminalize force feeding. But don’t be fooled. S 3330 and A6212 contain no criminal penalties. It has been deliberately designed to undercut all existing state anti-cruelty laws. Even after the year 2016, under no circumstances would anyone found force feeding animals be subject to so much as one day of jail time. Even for repeat offenders. This precedent-setting sellout completely trivializes animal torture — and directly benefits the nation’s largest producer of foie gras. Action Requested:
No matter where you live, please contact Governor George E. Pataki. Ask him to VETO “the force feeding bill” (A 6212 and S 3330) if it reaches his desk. BACKGROUND The production of foie gras is one of the most barbaric cruelties in the food animal industry. Ducks and geese subjected to this practice suffer daily force feedings of grain pumped into their stomachs through a long funnel crammed down their throats. These force feedings continue until their livers are so overloaded and swollen that the animals can barely move. The birds are then killed for the purpose of removing their abnormally swollen livers. There are two commercial producers of foie gras in the United States. One is Sonoma Foie Gras, which — to the dismay of animal activists nationwide — was successful in gaining legal protections in California. The other is New York’s Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Sonoma Foie Gras’ success at passing legislation in California left Hudson Valley at a competitive disadvantage. Hudson Valley is now determined to gain the same kind of immunity from prosecution for itself in New York.
Bait and Switch 2005 As was the case last year with the California bill, the proponents of the New York foie gras legislation are deceiving people about the bill — and are going to great lengths to hide the fact that the legislation is supported by the foie gras industry itself. Eager for anything that can be sold as a victory, the proponents have once again cut a back-room deal with the industry — and removed even the possibility of a ban on force feeding until the year 2016! That, however, is not the worst of it. Hudson Valley Foie Gras wants S 3330 to formally and explicitly declare that its horrific force feeding practices be considered legal under New York law. But even that’s not all. This notoriously cruel foie gras company also wants S 3330 to protect it from both criminal and civil lawsuits. Incredibly, the proponents agreed to all of this. Despite what is being claimed, there is absolutely no ban on force feeding guaranteed — even after 2016. The only guarantee is that Hudson Valley Foie Gras would be free to enjoy and profit from eleven years of unprecedented legal protection. Then, after having plenty of time to get its ducks in a row, it need only to push the 2016 date back — indefinitely. That is, in fact, the company’s stated intention.
The S 3330 Score Card New York’s corrupted foie gras legislation serves the political, financial, and organizational interests of the people involved. But it makes matters worse for the animals. The following shows exactly what would be gained by the winners, and the losers. Hudson Valley Foie Gras receive the following:
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