The president of the French Association of Fua Gras producers said that she was “shocked and angry” that the British government was considering banning the import of this product.
She called on parliamentarians to visit the French foie gras farms to watch the forced feeding of ducks and geese and judge for themselves whether it was “cruel and tortured”, as animal rights advocates say.
“I am shocked and upset at the fact that the freedom to sell a perfectly healthy product as defined under international agreements is threatened,” said Marie-Pierre B, director of Interprofessionnel des Palmipèdes à Foie Gras (CIFOG), which represents some 3,500 goose-liver producers.
“For a country that promotes freedom of trade, this is not just a contradiction, but it shows a lack of understanding of our production, as well as the problem of judgments based on anthropomorphic representations that the animal used in production suffers.
“It is clear that they do not know how to do our work. Before making this decision, I invite you to visit one of the producers of foie gras so that you can make a rational decision. We have nothing to hide and we work with complete transparency.”
When asked about gavage, the most controversial aspect of goose liver production, in which long tubes are pushed under the birds’ throats to pump food into the digestive system, causing the liver to swell several times its normal size, Pei said the activists were embodying – the attribution of human characteristics. To animals – claiming to have harmed or harmed ducks and geese.
“People need to stop imagining a tube inserted into their throat because the throat of a duck and a goose is not the same as yours. To start, the duck’s throat is flexible and there is a bag at the base that allows you to store food – geze, which is similar to our stomach,” he said.
“It doesn’t harm them. Of course, you need to know how to insert the probe, but if done correctly, the animal won’t suffer. Scientific studies have been done on the potential effects of gavage, so we know.”
“The vaccination is done twice a day taking into account the rhythm of the animal’s digestive system. We cannot force the digestive cycle because, if we did, it would be blocked and you would not get goose liver.
We can’t say that there are no accidents from time to time, but they are exceptional. The farmer has no interest in harming his animals because that will kill them – and kill their produce. “
A multi-party group of British parliamentarians has written to ministers urging them to ban the sale of foie gras in the United Kingdom. The letter to the Environment Minister, George Ostis, and to the Minister of Animal Welfare, Lord Goldsmith, was coordinated by the Animal Equality Campaign Group.
“In the coming months, thousands of ducks and geese will be subjected to cruel treatment because of this harsh product,” the letter said.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was “exploring further restrictions” on the delicacy, following reports that Goldsmith was intent on banning sales in the UK, after describing it earlier this year as “intolerable barbarism”.
“Foie Gras is the definition of animal cruelty and it is clear that people are united in their hatred of this evil product. We can’t stand it anymore. The ban cannot happen anytime soon,” said Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK.
However, opponents of the ban disagree. Richard Corrigan, who runs several restaurants in Mayfair, said the ban would take the UK to a “nanny district,” while George Bell, co-owner of Liskargot, said there was “a paradox between people who happily eat food products and defend the ban.”
Bee said that the legality of foie gras production had been checked “many times” and found to be in compliance with European food regulations.
“Yes, there were videos with horrific pictures of farms, but they are exceptions, and these farms do not reflect our sector and our profession,” she said. “Our farms are under the control of the authorities and the producers are committed to ensuring the welfare of the animals.”
She added, “I can understand if people do not like foie gras, or do not want to eat animals or products of animal origin, but there is respect for animals in our production. I have no problem mentioning this because I know it is true.”
He said, “I am angry and sad.” “The British government certainly will not pass a law based on one-sided arguments. Personally, I invite you to come and see yourselves.”
Bee said foie gras are banned, “because foie gras is a gastronomic symbol in France. I think we are an easy target.”
It is a frequent topic and strategy for animal defense groups. They produce exciting images to make an impact on the economy. We should ask ourselves, “Are we being manipulated?” “
France is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of liver in the world. CIFOG says French farmers produced 15,000 tons of foie gras last year – down from the 18,800 tons produced in 2019 – mainly in the Périgord region in southwest France. Up to 5,000 tons per year are exported, with up to 200 tons per year arriving in Britain.
Pé said that despite Covid restrictions that shut down winter markets and hit sales before the Christmas holidays – the period when foie gras are traditionally consumed – producers have reported 1.2 million new French buyers in 2020. The sector has since been hit by a flu outbreak. the birds.
“There is no problem with the support of our products in France,” she said. She added, “The French foie gras, there is exceptional support for him.”
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