Catskill Foie Gras Collective to Educate Public on Duck Farming Practices As Rhode Island Considers Ban on Foie Gras

This week, as Rhode Island lawmakers introduced legislation seeking to prohibit the sale of foie gras in their state, the Catskill Foie Gras Collective is rallying to educate consumers, R.I. state senators, and the media about duck farming techniques and the detrimental effects a proposed ban would have on hundreds of working farmers and their families.

Foie gras, considered a first-rate, gourmet delicacy around the world, is made from duck and goose livers. Much of the foie gras produced today comes from poultry farms in upstate New York and Canada. And in France, foie gras is recognized as part of the country’s protected cultural and gastronomic heritage.

“Outdated information about duck farming methods have many people in the public unaware that our techniques are in alignment with acceptable farming practices,” said Marcus Henley, Manager of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, who also serves as manager of the Catskill Collective, a group dedicated to providing factual information about how the popular delicacy is produced. “We adhere to the same strict guidelines other farms raising animals for human consumption do. Yet there is a misconception out there about our farming practices.”

The Collective is ramping up its mission to educate consumers, legislators, and reporters on modern duck farming practices that do not harm the fowls – up until the time of their slaughter – as well as the economic impact trendy, and short-lived, foie gras bans invariably have on independent farmers and fine restaurants who typically carry if for their customers.

“We invite legislators and the media to come visit our farms where they can see, first-hand, that our ducks are treated very well,” said Sergio Saravia, president of La Belle Farm, a duck farm in Sullivan County, NY. “They’ll see that the ducks run free and unrestricted in large, regularly cleaned, well-ventilated spaces. Unlike much of the poultry people buy at the supermarket every day, they are never confined to single-space cages.”

“Time and again, these bans have been shot down as groundless and unconstitutional,” says Henley. “It just shows we need to do a better job at informing the public about our practices and introducing them to this wonderful delicacy.

About Hudson Valley Foie Gras

Hudson Valley Foie Gras is one of the largest producers of raw and ready-to-eat duck and chicken products. Located on 200 lush acres in the beautiful Catskills Mountains, the facility has a more than 30-year history of setting global standards for animal care. Founded by Michael A. Ginor and Izzy Yanay, the farm encompasses all stages of foie gras production from breeding to packaging.