California's foie gras ban went into effect on July 1st, but chefs and restauranteurs are exploiting loopholes to get around the law. Some restaurants have created a secret code word for customers to use when requesting foie gras, serve it for "free" with an overly expensive menu item or offer to prepare foie gras that a customer brings in.
Choosing to serve and eat foie gras is not a victimless crime -- undercover investigations of foie gras farms have found sick, dead and dying birds with holes in their necks from having force-feeding tubes rammed down them. California gave state producers years to come up with more humane ways to produce foie gras, but they failed to do so.
The loopholes currently used to serve foie gras in California are a slap in the face to everyone who created and voted for the ban. Chefs and restauranteurs should not get away with cooking foie gras that a customer brings in or serving foie gras under a different name, for free, or as a complement to another dish. Please urge California legislators to seriously enforce the foie gras ban and close loopholes in the law.
To: California State Legislators
We, the undersigned, support California's foie gras ban, and are concerned that chefs and restauranteurs are exploiting loopholes to get around the law. We understand that some restaurants have created a secret code word for customers to use when requesting foie gras, serve it for "free" with an overly expensive menu item, or offer to prepare foie gras that a customer brings in.
The loopholes currently used to serve foie gras in California are a slap in the face to everyone who created and voted for the ban. Chefs and restauranteurs should not get away with cooking foie gras that a customer brings in or serving foie gras under a different name, for free, or as a complement to another dish. We urge you to seriously enforce the foie gras ban and close loopholes in the law. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
