Ducks 1 - Gastronomy 0

The good fight has been fought and won. Governor Schwarzenegger went and signed off on a law banning the production of foie gras in the State of California. Well, sort of. The law doesn't actually go into effect until 2012. And by that point, everybody will probably have forgotten about this whole thing and just in time to pass a new law making the old law obsolete.

"Don't fret that the delicacy will disappear from the state any time soon. SB 1520, which imposes a fine of $1,000 a day on violators, doesn't go into effect until 2012, buying time for the state's lone foie gras producer and for restaurants and retailers who sell foie gras."

You mean all of this was over one producer? In the entire state? The impression that I had was that they were cranking out livers like a bastard. It's a good thing there aren't any bigger issues to deal with.

"The bill, introduced last February by state Senator John Burton (D-SF), was supported by a coalition of animal protection groups, including the Davis-based Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR), Los Angeles Lawyers for Animals and Viva USA. The groups believe that the practice of force-feeding birds to enlarge their livers is inhumane."

In case one needed further proof the Southern California is totally insane: Los Angeles Lawyers for Animals. Why don't they use the anacronym?

"Does this mean the end of foie gras? Not according to a statement released by the governor's office, which clarifies that the bill bans a production practice, not the product itself. The law "provides seven-and-a-half years for agricultural husbandry practices to evolve and perfect a humane way for a duck to consume grain to increase the size of its liver through natural processes," the statement said.

I'm not exactly sure what 'agricultural husbandry practices' really means but I think it's illegal in most states. By the way, the Tom the Dancing Bug piece may be closer to the truth than previously thought.

"While AVAR was pleased that the governor signed the bill, it's not stopping with foie gras, said spokeswoman Pam Runquist. "We hope to tackle farm and other animal issues soon."

What a novel idea. Again, it helps to be born cute.

And from New York:

"Another piece of foie gras legislation is pending in New York state, home to the country's only other producer, Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Bills S5153 and A01821 would "make it unlawful to force-feed a bird by hand or machine, for the purpose of fatty enlargement of the bird's liver." It does not, however, ban the sale of foie gras that was made elsewhere."

That's right, only two producers in the entire country! And what does the last sentence imply? Out of state, out of mind? Or maybe, you can make sausage, just don't do it in my back yard. Thank God for our elected officials.