The Issues

Proposed Legislation and Public Policy

State Legislation

Illinois Bill to Stop Foie Gras Cruelty

It is widely recognized that foie gras production is one of the cruelest industrialized agriculture practices. To produce foie gras, ducks and geese are force fed enormous amounts of food several times each day via a pipe, which is shoved down their throats. At the end of the fattening period, the birds' livers are swollen up to ten times their natural size, resulting in a liver disease known as "hepatic lipidosis."

Some birds die before slaughter as a consequence of ruptured internal organs or asphyxiation when food becomes impacted in their throats and digestive systems. Many are so physically debilitated by the end of the force-feeding period that they are unable to stand, walk or breathe properly. After weeks of this torture, the birds are killed and their diseased livers sold as foie gras.

Foie gras production is so cruel that is has been banned throughout much of Europe as well as the state of California and the city of Chicago. In the 2005 legislative session, a bill to ban the force feeding of birds for foie gras passed the Illinois Senate unanimously, but failed to come up for a vote in the house.

In the 2007 legislative session, Representative Robert Molaro has introduced the “Force-Fed Birds Act,” H.B. 867, prohibit “force-feeding birds and the selling, serving, or dispensing of products that are the result of force-feeding birds.” A companion bill, S.B. 312, has also been introduced in the Senate by Senator Pam Althoff to ban the sale and production of foie gras in Illinois.

A press conference was held at the Illinois State Capitol on 03/06/07 in support of these bills. A Judiciary Committee hearing was held on 03/07/07 to discuss the House bill, but unfortunately H.B. 867 did not pass the committee.

You Can Help!

If you are an Illinois resident, please contact your state legislators and urge them to support the Force-Fed Birds Act. Ask your two state senators and your state representative to support S.B. 312 and H.B. 867, respectively. All names and contact information for your legislators can be found at www.vote-smart.org.

How did your legislators vote on animal cruelty?
Members of the Illinois House Judiciary Committee recently defeated H.B. 867, a bill to ban the force-feeding of ducks and geese to make foie gras and to prohibit the sale of the inhumane product in Illinois. This is a setback, but the battle is far from over. It is critical for legislators to hear from their constituents.

Please contact these legislators and thank them for their compassionate vote in support of H.B. 867.

Rep. John Fritchey
217-782-2458
mystaterep@aol.com

Rep. Lou Lang
217-782-1252
reploulang@aol.com

Rep. Bob Molaro
217-782-5280
robertm@ilga.gov

Please contact the following committee members to express your disappointment that they did not support H.B. 867. Let them know that compassion towards animals is important to you, and that animal cruelty should not be tolerated under any circumstances, especially to produce something as petty as an obscure delicacy.

In The News

Local state representative wants to outlaw goose liver delicacy
Riverside Brookfield Landmark - March 13, 2007

Althoff takes aim at foie gras
Northwest Herald - March 08, 2007

For more information, contact campaign@farmsanctuary.org.