I live in Cleveland, Ohio, and I deeply care about the well-being of animals, people, and the environment that we live in. We must put an end to practices that cause unnecessary harm to us, the animals, our wildlife, and our environment as a whole. One such practice is force fed production of animal products. Force fed production includes Foie Gras, paté, magret, and any animal that goes through the process of gavage (force feeding).

Foie gras, paté, magret and all products that require force feeding animals for production are considered “luxury” food products. Foie gras is the diseased liver of ducks or geese. Paté is the diseased liver of ducks or geese, ground up into a paté. Magret is the breast of a diseased duck. They involve a process known as 'gavage'. It is far from luxurious! This torturous process requires force-feeding these birds by sticking large metal tubes down their throats, with more food than they would naturally consume, leading to their livers swelling up to ten times their normal size. Other problems include impaired liver function, liver damage, liver disease, expansion of the abdomen making it difficult for the birds to walk and breathe, scarring and damage to the esophagus, death if the force feeding continues, and a lot more. Why would anyone be willing to support something so terrible, and put it in their body? This cruel practice causes immense, unnecessary agony for these innocent animals. Their livers are then composed of entirely unhealthy fat, with no nutritional value. A person eating another being’s enlarged, diseased liver will only cause unnecessary suffering for that person as well, over time.

The physiological condition known as steatosis occurs when geese and ducks are force-fed, as their livers are naturally designed to store fat. This process inevitably leads to swollen, diseased livers, mirroring pathology in humans, which is the study of disease causes and effects. Scientific research indicates that consuming foie gras and other products requiring force feeding, is linked to serious health risks in humans, including secondary amyloidosis. This fatal condition results from amyloid deposits interfering with the normal functioning of organs, leading to complications such as Alzheimer’s disease, listeria, heart failure, kidney failure, liver disease, liver failure, nerve issues, gastrointestinal problems, joint pain, arthritis, dementia, skin disorders, and the list goes on. Animal rights and human rights are very much intertwined. We need to advocate for better transparency and standards in the treatment of animals. The meat and dairy industries misrepresent the realities of animal welfare and the health impact of their products.

Beyond the ethical and health concerns, force fed production poses significant environmental risks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has noted numerous violations of environmental regulations in force fed farming. Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the largest producer in the U.S., has faced multiple inspections and fines for breaching clean water laws over the past decade. The abuse and neglect of these birds also compromise their immune systems, making them more vulnerable to diseases like avian flu, which can easily spread to humans. Recent outbreaks show the potential for zoonotic diseases to escalate into global health crises. Ohio has had the most outbreaks of HPAI out of all the states in our country. Along with many productions in the meat and dairy industry, production of force feeding contributes significantly towards greenhouse gas emissions due to its resource-intensive nature (source: Humane Society International). There is really nothing beneficial in force fed products at all. It is so wasteful, dirty, and harmful in every way. It is alarming and disturbing that force feeding is still in production and sold in restaurants with all of the problems that it causes to the animals, people, and the environment. 

Force feeding has been eliminated in many countries such as The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Turkey, The United Kingdom, and most of the Austrian provinces. So far in the United States, the state of California, Massachusetts, New York City, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has eliminated Foie gras. Force feeding needs to be a thing of the past! By eliminating force fed products in northeast Ohio, we can take one step closer towards creating a world where animal cruelty is not tolerated and environmental sustainability is prioritized.

Let’s eliminate the sale and production of force fed animal products in Ohio! Your signature can make all the difference in helping us achieve this goal together! THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY💚