(HorizonPost.com) – The Democrat governor of New York and the mayor of New York City are in an ongoing battle over banning foie gras, the delicacy made from duck liver, Fox News reported.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is seeking to enforce a ban on foie gras due to complaints from animal rights activists who argue that producing the fatty liver necessary for the delicacy requires ducks to be force-fed at specialty farms in the state.
The ban was first signed in 2019 by former Mayor Bill de Blasio and was expected to take effect in November 2022. However, Governor Hochul’s Department of Agriculture and Markets ordered the city not to enforce the ban due to the economic impact on upstate farms.
According to Politico, opponents say New York City’s ban is an overreach as it would essentially shut down farms in areas one hundred miles outside of the city. Proponents of the ban argue that the city should have the right to regulate itself.
Earlier this month, New York City officials won their first victory after a county judge struck down the Department of Agriculture and Markets’ order. However, the decision has been appealed.
The lobbying group Voters for Animal Rights, which was instrumental in getting New York City to impose the ban, said state officials are deliberately dragging out the process to allow farms to continue providing foie gras while litigation continues through the court.
Bryan Peace, an attorney for Voters for Animal Rights, told Politico that the state wants to “drag this out as long as possible” solely for profit. He said the state’s position that it can “strike down laws” anywhere if it has “some indirect upstream effect” on Upstate New York farms is “frivolous.” He added that if this is the case, “you couldn’t ban anything.”
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