, meaning that restaurants throughout N.Y.C. can continue serving the delicacy. Local Law 202, which sought to ban the sale of foie gras in New York City, was deemed to violate state laws that protect farming practices and promote agricultural commerce.Watch: Chef Michael Mina’s Guide to Cooking Perfect Salmon at Home
“This ruling is a victory for farmers across New York State,” said Sergio Saravia, the president of La Belle Farms, one of just three farms in the United States that produces foie gras. “It’s about more than just foie gras; it’s about preserving our right to farm and support our families.”the foie-gras ban. In part, supporters of the law argued that foie gras was produced by force-feeding ducks to increase the size of their livers, and that a ban would result in better animal-welfare practices.
The ban has since been winding its way through the courts, and it was initially set to go into effect in November 2022. Both thesided with the farmers, and the ban was stuck in limbo for years. In early 2023, New York City evenin an attempt to finally bring the law to fruition. But now the city has been dealt a blow in the foie-gras fight once again.
While a state supreme court ruling sounds like it should be the final word in the matter, animal-rights activists have been fighting for some five years to get foie gras banned in New York City. It’s possible, then, that the court’s opinion is just the latest installment in the long-running saga.Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter.