Foie gras banned?
After California, New York may soon also have to do without foie gras.
New York City Council member Carlina Rivera has submitted a bill to ban the sale of the controversial French delicacy. The ban is based on the animal suffering involved in its production.
Prison sentence
If it is up to Rivera, it will be considered a crime, and violators of the law — if it passes — will face fines of up to $1,000 and one year in prison for each offense.
As far as Rivera is concerned, she tells The New York Post, a ban should not be a problem. “[Foie gras] is not part of the diet of everyday New Yorkers. Less than one per cent of all New York City restaurants serve it. This is truly a luxury item.”
Damage
Most restaurants did not want to comment, but two restaurants were willing to speak to The New York Post about the proposal. They said (anonymously) that they were afraid the ban would harm their businesses. “It’s a popular seller — so, sure, I would hate to take it off the menu,” said one restaurateur. “Too much government interference.”
California has had a ban in place since 2012. That took a while, by the way, because the bill was first introduced in 2004. It is not yet known when the bill will be considered further.
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