Force-feeding geese so that their livers grow to ten times the normal size (causing pain, walking problems and inhibited breathing in the geese) will become a crime in California, punishable by a fine of $1,000 or more, beginning in 2012. In preparation for that new law, San Francisco Supervisors passed a resolution supporting eateries that remove foie gras from their menus. There is no resolution to ban the item, just
a resolution to give props to those who do so voluntarily.
Well, PETA contacted SF Mayor Gavin Newsom, who owns an assortment of restaurants in the Bay Area, urging him to remove foie gras from his kitchens. The Mayor's sister, as well as his colleague, responded that they would do just that:
On Friday, the Mayor received the attached letter and documentation from PETA,
along with a video narrated by
Sir Roger Moore—himself a former foie gras consumer—detailing the inherent and extreme cruelty to
animals that goes into foie gras production; I followed up on the letter
yesterday afternoon, and heard back almost instantly from the Mayor’s sister and
PlumpJack President, Hillary Newsom, who assured me that all PlumpJack
restaurants would pull foie gras from their menus, and that they would be
updating the Web site immediately.
Unless I am overlooking it, the update to the PlumpJack website has not been made, and foie gras still sits on the published menu for FARM in Napa Valley.
Below is the text of the letter sent to Mayor Newsom that prompted his decision to remove the food:
Dear Mayor Newsom:
On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
and our 2 million supporters, including thousands in San Francisco, I am writing to urge you to
stop serving foie gras at PlumpJack
Group restaurants.
You have many fans at PETA, but on this issue, we’re quite
surprised. As you know, after reviewing the extensive scientific evidence
regarding the suffering that ducks and geese endure in foie gras production,
the California
state legislature and Governor Schwarzenegger decided to ban the production and
sale of this cruel item, effective 2012.
As someone who has spearheaded pushes for so many
compassionate, progressive policies, we hope that after reviewing the attached
document and DVD, you will agree that foie
gras is not something with which you wish to be associated.
What are your thoughts on the resolution supporting restaurants who take foie gras off their menus? And should foie gras be banned outright?[Photo by Quinn Dombrowski]
