Public‑health and animal‑welfare arguments surface as committee hears foie gras ban bills
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Summary
Supporters urged passage of H.966/S.544 to bar sale of products derived from birds force‑fed for foie gras, citing animal cruelty and public‑health risks from amyloid exposure and avian influenza; no committee vote was taken.
The committee heard testimony in favor of H.966 and S.544, companion bills that would prohibit the mistreatment of birds used to produce foie gras and would bar sale of products derived from birds that have been force‑fed.
Supporters described gavage, the forced‑feeding practice used to produce foie gras, as extreme animal cruelty and emphasized growing evidence linking foie gras production and sale to public‑health concerns. "Foie gras is made by shoving a metal or plastic tube down the throats of birds in a practice called gavage," testified Laurie Mendler of the Bridal Activism Collective. Public‑health testimony raised recent studies on misfolded proteins (amyloids) in force‑fed bird livers and the potential long‑term human health implications of consumption; advocates also cited highly pathogenic avian influenza risks associated with concentrated poultry operations.
Speakers asked the committee to align state policy with municipal bans and other state and international prohibitions already in effect in some jurisdictions, and to prevent commercialization of a product they described as ethically and epidemiologically unjustified.
The committee did not vote at the hearing. Sponsors and supporters agreed to provide scientific and regulatory materials for the committee record.
