Newly-Released Images Expose Force-Feeding on French Foie Gras Farms

Animal Equality has released never-before-seen images from duck farms in France, exposing how force-feeding is used to produce foie gras. 

This newly-released evidence shows:

• Ducks forced to live in overly-crowded cages
• Animals panting continuously in an obvious state of stress and fear
• Ducks backing into the corners of their cages as they wait for their turns to be force-fed
• Workers shoving 10- to 12-inch metal tubes down their throats up to three times per day
• Ducks hung by their legs before their throats are slit while conscious

While force-feeding has been banned in several European countries, it is still legal in France, the largest foie gras producer in Europe. It has also been banned in California but remains legal in 49 U.S. states. 

What is Foie Gras? 

Foie gras, French for “fatty liver,” is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers swell up to ten times their original size. 

This force-feeding occurs during the last 15 days of the animals’ lives. Workers force long, metal tubes down their throats and administer 200 to 400 grams of calorie-dense food. This food–”gavage” in French–causes animals to rapidly gain weight within a few days.

The goal of this force-feeding process is to induce “hepatic steatosis,” or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD refers to the excessive accumulation of fat within the liver cells. 

During the force-feeding process, animals also suffer from injuries and multiple organ failures. Diseased animals are forced to live among their own feces. 

After the “fattening stage,” ducks and geese are then sent to slaughter. Workers extract the animals’ livers, which are ground into a pâté or mousse and served as a French “luxury” dish.

Force-Feeding in the United States

Foie gras production has been banned in the UK, Turkey, Argentina, Australia, Israel, and several European nations. After viewing Animal Equality’s footage of foie gras production in 2014, India banned its import. 

The production and sale of foie gras have also been banned in California, but it is still legal in 49 states. New York City passed a ban on the sale of foie gras in 2019. However, legal disputes from the foie gras industry have prevented its enforcement.

Animal Equality has joined local animal protectors in supporting foie gras sales bans in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. During public hearings before City Councils, residents expressed their concerns about current animal welfare laws. 

Because of these efforts, the Vancouver City Council has since passed a resolution condemning the production and sale of foie gras within city limits. Meanwhile, thousands nationwide have signed our petition for a U.S. ban. 

Ban Foie Gras in the U.S. Now

Foie gras is one of the most violent animal products available. Ducks and geese are force-fed a fatty corn-based substance through a tube that is inserted into their throats in a process called gavage. Large amounts of fat are deposited into the duck’s liver, causing it to grow to up to ten times its normal size. This can leave the animals unable to walk, or even breath, before slaughter. The force-feeding is extremely painful and stressful for these sensitive animals and furthermore causes injuries and death from ruptured organs.

FOIE GRAS IS ALREADY BANNED IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES

Due to the animal cruelty involved, the State of California and several countries—including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel (formerly the world’s fourth-largest foie gras producer), Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Argentina—have either outright prohibited force-feeding for foie gras production and/or sale or have interpreted production as illegal under existing anti-cruelty laws. In the UK, where production is already illegal, the government is in the process of banning the import of foie gras as well.

Most recently, New York City overwhelmingly passed a bill to ban the sale of foie gras in 2019. Additionally, several restaurants and retailers—such as Costco, Safeway, Target, Giant Eagle, Whole Foods Market and Wolfgang Puck—refuse to sell foie gras due to animal cruelty concerns.

IT’S TIME TO END THIS CRUEL TREATMENT

The undersigned demand that the United States follow the lead of the many countries listed above and similarly ban the sale and production of foie gras in the USA. It’s time for this cruel delicacy to become a thing of the past. I stand with Animal Equality in calling for an immediate ban to this culinary atrocity.

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What You Can Do

Ducks and geese aren’t the only animals who suffer in the factory farming industry. Animal Equality’s global investigations have uncovered the abuse of pigs, cows, chickens, and other farmed animals. 

By replacing plant-based foods, you can protect all animals from abuse. Both innovative products and traditional plant proteins can be found in most U.S. supermarkets, leaving compassionate eaters with diverse options. 

PROTECT FAMILIES

Even before hatching from their eggs, ducklings communicate with their close‑knit families.

Protect these families by eating plant‑based and ditching animal products.