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Chicago Hearing to Discuss Legality of Selling Foie Gras Within City Limits

New Poll Shows Illinois Residents Overwhelmingly Back Ban on Foie Gras

Chicago, IL - September 9, 2005 - Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal shelter and advocacy organization, today announced the release of a Zogby International poll that reveals a vast majority, 79 percent, of likely voters in Illinois agree that foie gras production should be banned in the state. At the Chicago City Hall on Tuesday, September 13 at 9:00 a.m. the Board of Alderman and State legislators will discuss concerns about the cruelty of fois gras production and whether to ban the sale of foie gras in Chicago.

Alderman Joe Moore introduced the proposal to ban the sale of foie gras in Chicago. Earlier this year, Senator Kate Wojcik introduced a bill to ban the production of foie gras in Illinois. Senate Bill 413 (SB 413), passed the State Senate unanimously (53-0), and is currently under consideration in the House.

Alderman Joe Moore had this to say regarding his proposed ban on the sale of foie gras, "The practice involved in the production of foie gras does not fall in line with the values of the vast majority of residents within Chicago. Our city can play a major role in the nationwide effort to ban the production and sale of a product that should have been banned from our store shelves and restaurants years ago."

Gene Baur (formerly Bauston), president of Farm Sanctuary added, "Allowing the cruel practice of force feeding birds to produce foie gras falls outside the bounds of acceptable conduct in a society that values compassion. The people have spoken - they want foie gras off the menu."

Outside of the U.S., foie gras production is banned in at least a dozen European countries, as well as Israel, once the world's third-largest producer of the product. Massachusetts has similar pending legislation this year, and is holding a hearing on Monday, September 12 in Boston. Foie gras, a French term meaning "fatty liver," is the enlarged, diseased liver of ducks or geese that are force fed as a pipe is shoved down their throats several times daily. These birds are forced to ingest amounts of food far in excess of what they would eat in the wild. In a matter of weeks, their livers expand up to ten times their normal size until they reach the diseased state of "hepatic lipidosis," in which they no longer function properly. It is this diseased, fatty mass that is sold as foie gras.

Additional results of the Zogby International poll of likely Illinois voters included 84 percent agreeing that it is important that animals raised on farms be treated humanely. In addition, four out of five Illinois residents agree that animals raised on farms should be protected under the state's anti-cruelty laws. Currently, farm animals are exempt from most state anti-cruelty laws.

Additional information about foie gras production, legislation banning foie gras production, as well as a list of restaurants and retail establishments - including over 100 in Illinois - that have pledged to not serve the product, can be found at http://www.NoFoieGras.org.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.