BILL ANALYSIS ---------------------------------------------------------- |Hearing Date:April 26, 2004 |Bill No:SB | | |1520 | ---------------------------------------------------------- SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS Senator Liz Figueroa, Chair Bill No: SB 1520Author: Burton As Introduced: February 19, 2004 Fiscal: No SUBJECT: Force-fed birds. SUMMARY: Prohibits a person from force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size, and prohibits a product from being sold in California if it is the result of force feeding of a bird. Existing law: 1)Defines "migratory birds" as ducks and geese, coots and gallinules, jacksnipe, western mourning doves, white-winged doves, and band-tailed pigeons. 2)Defines "poultry" as domesticated fowl intended for use for human food and defines "fowl" as including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other domesticated birds; and defines "poultry meat" as the carcass of poultry or any part of such carcass. 3)Defines "poultry producer" as any person engaged in the business of growing any poultry, which is marketed as poultry meat, for a period of three weeks or more for the purpose of increasing the size and weight of the poultry. 4)Defines "poultry plant" as any place where poultry is slaughtered, dressed, or drawn, and any place, except a retail store or eating place, where poultry meat or poultry meat food products are cooked, cured, smoked, cut up, recut, packed or repacked, or otherwise prepared for human food. 5)Requires any person operating a poultry plant to obtain a SB 1520 Page 2 license from the Department of Food and Agriculture (Department) and to be inspected, operated and maintained in accordance with standards adopted by the Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 6)Requires poultry or poultry meat to be "wholesome," which means that it must be free of any disease, contamination, or conditions that would render the poultry meat unsuited for human food. 7)Requires that any animal to be slaughtered, including poultry, shall be rendered insensible to pain by a captive bolt, gunshot, electrical or chemical means, or any other means that is rapid and effective before being cut, shackled, hoisted, thrown, or cast, with the exception of poultry which may be shackled . 8)Provides that any person who operates a "live animal market" shall not dismember, flay, cut open, or have the skin, scales, feathers, or shell removed of a live animal while it is still alive, with the exception of poultry . 9)Specifies that any person who maliciously and intentionally maims, mutilates, or tortures any bird that is either an endangered, threatened, or protected species is guilty of a crime punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. 10)Provides that any person who owns or trains a bird to be used in bird fighting is guilty of a misdemeanor, and permits any peace officer or animal control officer to take possession of all birds and other property used in providing an exhibition of bird fighting. 11)Provides any person who sells or gives away live fowl, including ducklings, as an inducement to enter a place of amusement or place of business, or who artificially colors any fowl, or who maintains or possesses fowl for the purpose of sale or display without adequate facilities for supplying food, water and temperature control needed to maintain the health of such fowl, is guilty of a misdemeanor. 12)Specifies that none of the State animal cruelty laws SB 1520 Page 3 shall be construed so as to interfere with the right to kill all animals used for food. 13)Prohibits a pet shop or other vendor from selling an unweaned bird, and from possessing an unweaned bird unless it employs a person who has completed an avian certification program. 14)Provides that horsemeat may not be offered for sale for human consumption, and that no restaurant, caf?, or other public eating-place may offer horsemeat for human consumption. 15)Authorizes any peace officer or animal control officer to issue a citation or fine to a person or entity keeping horses or other equine animals for hire if the person or the entity fails to meet standards of humane treatment regarding the keeping of horse or other equine animals. This bill: 1)Prohibits a person from force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size, or from hiring another person to do so. 2)Specifies that a bird includes, but is not limited to, a duck or goose. 3)Defines force feeding a bird as a process that causes the bird to consume more food than a typical bird of the same species would consume voluntarily while foraging. 4)Specifies that force feeding methods include, but are not limited to, delivering feed through a tube or other device inserted into the bird's esophagus. 5)Prohibits a product from being sold in California that is the result of force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size. 6)Provides that a peace officer, or officer of a humane society or animal control, may issue a citation to a person or entity who force feeds a bird or sells a product that is the result of force feeding. 7)Requires payment of a civil penalty up to one thousand SB 1520 Page 4 dollars ($1,000) for each violation, and up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each day the violation continues, and allows the civil penalty to be payable to the local agency initiating the proceedings to offset the costs to the agency related to court proceedings. 8)Allows the district attorney or the city attorney to prosecute a person or entity that has committed the violation. FISCAL EFFECT: Legislative Counsel has keyed this bill as a nonfiscal measure. COMMENTS: 1.Purpose. According to the Author, this bill is intended to prohibit the force feeding of ducks and geese for the purpose of enlarging their livers beyond their normal size. Force feeding is the common method used to produce foie gras and is accomplished by restraining the bird and inserting a 10-to-12 inch metal or plastic tube into the bird's esophagus and delivering large amounts of concentrated meal and compressed air into the bird. This process is repeated up to three times a day for several weeks until the liver reaches the desired size and the bird is slaughtered. As the Author contends, the force feeding process is so damaging on the birds that they would die from the pathological damage it inflicts if they weren't slaughtered first. The force feeding causes birds to develop chronic liver disease called hepatic lipidosis, in which a bird's liver swell to about 10 times its normal size. This abnormally sized liver can cause many health problems and eventually makes walking and breathing difficult for the bird. Further, the liver may hemorrhage due to its size. As further explained by the Author, the mechanics of force feeding can also cause injuries as a result of the use of the tube or funnel, the food being too hot, bruising or perforation of the esophagus, and asphyxia by forcing food down the trachea of the bird. The Author states that no other livestock product is produced via force feeding, and that it is a cruel and inhumane process that should be banned. Recently, as stated by the Author, Zogby International headquartered in New York conducted interviews of 1000 likely voters chosen at random nationwide. More than SB 1520 Page 5 three in four (77%) voters agreed that the process of force-feeding of ducks and geese in order to produce foie gras should be banned by law in the United States, while 16% disagree and 7% are not sure. 2.Background. Foie gras is a French term meaning "fatty liver" and is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese large amounts of meal that enlarges their livers. The fat liver was produced traditionally from geese. However, in recent years, there has been widespread change to the use of ducks rather than geese, mainly for financial reasons. The duck chosen for foie gras production is a hybrid between a Muscovy duck and the domestic duck. European countries such as France and Hungary are among the largest producers. In the United States there are three producers of foie gras, Hudson Valley Foie Gras company and La Belle Poultry in upstate New York that together produce about 90% of foie gras, and Sonoma Foie Gras (SFG) that provides about 10% of the domestic supply. SFG has a farm with about 20,000 ducks in the Central Valley and ships between 1,000 and 1,500 ducks a week, selling all the duck meat, not just the livers, nationwide through Grimaud Farms. There are about 14 employees at SFG with annual sales of about $1,500,000, and sixty percent (60%) of its business coming from selling foie gras. a) The Practice of Force Feeding Ducks. The force-feeding comes when ducks are 12 to 15 weeks old. During the force feeding period, ducks which had previously been fed an increasing but limited amount of food are forcibly fed large amounts of food 2-3 times a day for about two weeks and this normally results in the increase of the size of the liver to about 10 times the normal liver size of the bird. The amount of food fed during each force feeding is considerably more than the normal intake, and as the procedure is repeated, the quantity of energy rich food (such as corn mash) which the birds are forced to ingest is much greater that that which the birds would eat voluntarily. The ducks are sometimes kept 10 to a pen about 10 square feet in size, and in low light to keep them calmer. To feed the ducks, a worker will hold the bird between his knees and grasps the head, inserting a tube of about 10 inches down the bird's esophagus. An overhead funnel connected to the tube SB 1520 Page 6 pumps in a dose the food, creating a golf ball-sized bulge as it goes down. Doses start about 5 ounces and build up to about 14 ounces. b) Effects on the Birds of Force Feeding. In 1998, the European Union (EU) requested that its Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (EU Scientific Committee) produce a report on the animal welfare aspects of the production of foie gras using ducks and geese. Members of the EU Scientific Committee foie gras working group included a dozen professors of veterinary medicine and agricultural scientists from across Europe. The EU Scientific Committee report was completed in December 1998, and the conclusion was that force-feeding, as currently practiced, is detrimental to the welfare of the birds. Further, it was found that the force feeding of ducks and geese along with confinement causes physical problems, including respiratory, metabolic, and locomotive impairment. Foie gras production facilities prevent birds from engaging in their natural exploratory activities and social behaviors, leading to depression and frustration, while the force feeding process creates very high stress levels for the birds. They also found that elevated death rates was another indication of welfare problems associated with foie gras production. c) Other Countries Have Banned the Practice of Force Feeding Birds. There are at least fourteen countries that have banned the practice of force feeding birds to produce foie gras, either with explicit language in the laws, or as part of the general animal cruelty law. As of January 2004, Italy banned foie gras production, following the lead of Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Poland. Other countries whose laws have been interpreted to ban the force feeding of birds for foie gras production include Holland, Sweden, Switzlerland, and the United Kingdom. Perhaps most significantly, Israel, once the world's fourth largest foie gras producer, recently banned foie gras production. In August 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court issued a 39-page decision declaring foie gras production to be contrary to the country's animal protection laws. In issuing its opinion, the Chief SB 1520 Page 7 Justice stated: "There is no real controversy with respect to the fact that the practice of force feeding causes suffering to the geese. . .the goose is prevented from eating freely and is forcefully fed several times a day with high energy food in quantity far above its physiological requirements. The process whereby a metal tube, through which the food is packed into its stomach, is introduced into the goose's body - is violent and harmful. The process causes a degenerative disease in the goose's liver and enlargement of the liver up to ten times its normal size. There is no controversy that without the injury to the goose liver, it is not possible, at present, to produce goose liver." The court concluded its declaration by stating: ". . .no one denies that these creatures also feel the pain inflicted upon them through physical harm or a violent intrusion into their bodies. Indeed, whoever wishes to may find, in the circumstances of this appeal, prima facie justification for the acts of artificial force feeding, justification whose essence is the need to retain the farmer's source of livelihood and enhance the gastronomic delight of others. . .But this has a price - and the price is reducing the dignity of Man himself." d) Several Grocers are Refusing to Purchase Foie Gras. According to recent press articles, Trader Joe's and other grocers have decided to stop carrying all duck meat and foie gras. Whole Foods Market, which is a national chain headquartered in Austin, Texas with over 145 stores and $3.2 billion in sales, announced that it is developing enhanced animal-treatment standards, starting with those for ducks and expects to implement the new standards by the end of 2004. Grimaud Farm's which sells Muscovy ducks to Whole Foods and other high-end retailers, and is which is also the custom processor for Sonoma Foie Gras, would be the most impacted. Whole Foods has made it clear that they do not want any of their producers to be connected with any foie gras company. SB 1520 Page 8 3.Arguments in Support. Sponsors of this bill are the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights , Viva!USA - Intentional Voice for Animals , Farm Sanctuary , and the Los Angeles Lawyers for Animals . There are also a large number of animal welfare groups in support of this measure, as well as veterinarians, including avian veterinarians, and numerous individuals. The proponents raise several concerns regarding the current practice of force feeding birds: a) Force Feeding of Ducks Does Not Mimic Their Current Natural Migration-Feeding Process. According to the proponents, the foie gras industry has attempted to justify the practice of force feeding by claiming that it takes advantage of a bird's anatomical abilities, mimicking the natural tendency of birds to overeat in preparation for migrating. They argue that this is a specious argument for several reasons. First, while some geese and ducks do put on fat stores for migration, the Muscovy duck is a tropical bird that does not migrate in the wild. The Pekin duck (which the Muscovy is crossed with to produce the Mulard duck commonly used in foie gras production) is completely domesticated and incapable of flying. Therefore, it is much less likely that this type of duck has such a potential to store such amounts of food during force-feeding. Second, under no extent would such duck gorge themselves to the extent that its liver was swollen 10 times its normal size. As they point out by way of studies, the health of the duck in foie gras production is compromised to such a great degree that the birds would die if they weren't slaughtered after being subjected to the force feeding process for just a few weeks. Finally, the diet forced upon the birds is severely deficient in several ways and is destined to produce physiological suffering. It forms an unbalanced diet intended to artificially induct hepatic lipidosis in the liver. If it were given under natural conditions, the birds would refuse it. Even if the food was given in normal quantities, the birds could not survive due to the deficiencies that it would lead to in the long term. b) Forced Confinement During Force Feeding Causes Stress and Other Behavioral Problems for the Birds. Proponents contend that some foie gras operations, SB 1520 Page 9 including Sonoma Foie Gras, keep the ducks in near darkness for the 2-3 week force-feeding period, in an attempt to keep the birds calm. This prevents normal exploratory behavior, which results in the birds not receiving adequate exercise. Confinement, as well as reduced light levels, also affects the birds' abilities to interact socially in a normal manner. Ducks who are housed in individual cages during the force-feeding period have their social instincts completely thwarted. Confined so tightly at times in these cages, they become agitated and injured during the force feeding process. It has also been observed that they are not provided sufficient access to water to bathe and immerse themselves - a strongly motivated behavior among waterfowl - and because of this they remain in a dehydrated state. c) Ducks During the Force Feeding Process Endure Tremendous Stress. The proponents contend that ducks suffer from feelings of malaise as their body struggles to cope with extreme nutrient imbalance and distress caused by loss of control over the birds' most basic homeostatic regulation mechanism as their hunger control system is over-ridden. Observation of ducks during force-feeding indicates a strong aversive reaction to those who are performing the force feeding procedure. Domesticated birds are very receptive to normal feeding and show little fear of those who feed them, but as force feeding continues, ducks show a "flight response" and the force feeder has to sometimes pursue and catch the bird, or at the very least restrain them. This anxiety increases with the constant repetition of the cause of the stress and the pain associated with the procedure of force-feeding. d) Ducks Suffer Several Physical Disorders and Possible Death as a Result of the Force Feeding Process. Proponents contend that bronchial obstruction, fibrosis of the liver, enterotoxemia, and enteritis are afflictions that can threaten force-fed birds, and other painful injuries to the esophagus, including hemorrhagic inflammation and perforations of the esophagus can result as well. Other physical problems that can occur are impaired mobility, severe foot and leg disorders, respiratory difficulties, lesions and cuts, liver damage and other metabolic SB 1520 Page 10 disorders, and increased mortality. 4.Arguments in Opposition. A coalition of several groups is opposed to this measure and includes, among others, the California Farm Bureau, the California Grain and Feed Association, the California Poultry Federation, and the California Restaurant Association. There are also numerous restaurants, chefs, businesses and individuals who are opposed to this bill. Opponents contend that the production of foie gras is not unethical, nor harmful to ducks. In fact, as opponents argue, the process during which the foie gras is produced mimics a natural process during which ducks gorge themselves prior to migration. In addition, the USDA inspects and approves each fatty liver destined for consumption. They argue that the product is safe; and if it were found to be contaminated or diseased, it would be destroyed before consumption. Opponents further argue that banning a specific product based on emotion rather than fact is a dangerous precedent. Animal husbandry laws have been in place for years and these laws are intended to address certain species of animals whose primary purpose is to provide food for the table. This designation is to differentiate these animals from those raised primarily for other purposes. This proposal, as opponents argue, threatens to harm these laws and could disrupt agriculture throughout the state. Proper animal care has evolved from decades of practical experience and scientific research. Those husbandry practices are best determined from experience and scientific basis. The opponent's state that the foie gras market continues to develop and thrive and that consumer demand for this delicacy is increasing and restaurants in California continue to add it to their menus. For example, Somona Foie Gras sells its product to approximately 300 restaurants in California and 200 restaurants outside of the state. As argued by the opponents, the Legislature should not dictate what they cannot consume when the reason is not based on scientific, fact-based analysis. 5.Are There Alternative Methods Of Producing Foie Gras That Do Not Involve Force Feeding? According the EU SB 1520 Page 11 Scientific Committee, one study experimented with new technical approaches in order to obtain fatty liver without force-feeding. The researchers destroyed the medio-ventral nucleus of the hypothalmus of geese by electrolytic lesion in order to induce hyperphagy. They obtained hyperphagy (heightened feeding activity) effectively for a short period, so that the geese had an increase in body weight and in the weight of the liver, but the weight increases were lower than those obtained with animals which were force-fed. In a second approach, researchers injected specific drugs to induce obesity and a fattened liver, however the weight increases were still lower than those obtained by force-fed animals. The other possibility suggest by the EU Scientific Committee for fatty liver production could be to feed ad libitum (free access to food). The resulting product, however, is not what is demanded by the consumer. The liver includes fat but to a much lower degree than in force fed birds. It might be possible, as suggested by the EU Scientific Committee, to breed birds for a larger appetite. If this were done, it would be important to ensure that the resulting increases in the sizes of the body as a whole, or of particular organs, did not result in poor welfare, for example of leg pain or organ malfunction. If the birds with good welfare and a large, but not pathologically changed liver were produced, a high fat content pate would have to be produced by the addition of fat. The EU Scientific Committee recommended that research should be continued to look into methods of producing fatty liver which do not require the use of force-feeding. SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION: Support: Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (Sponsor) Farm Sancturary (Sponsor) Los Angeles Lawyers for Animals (Sponsor) Viva!USA - International Voice for Animals (Sponsor) American Board of Veterinary Practitioners American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Legal Defense Fund SB 1520 Page 12 Animal Legislative Action Network Animal Protection Institute Animal Protection & Rescue League Avian Welfare Coalition Best Friends Animal Society California Federation for Animal Legislation Contra Costa Humane Society East Bay Animal Advocates Freedom for Animals The Fund for Animals, Inc. Hastings Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Hayward Friend of Animals Humane Society Humane Education Network Humane Farming Action Fund Humane Society of the United States In Defense of Animals Institute for Wildlife Studies Last Chance for Animals Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation The Paw Project Pet Adoption League Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Senior Citizens for Humane Legislation Silicon Valley in Defense of Animals Sir Paul McCartney United Animal Nations United Poultry Concerns, Inc. World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) Over 700 individual letters in support. Opposition: California Farm Bureau Federation California Grain and Feed Association California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce California Poultry Federation California Restaurant Association Golden Gate Restaurant Association Hotel Council of San Francisco Pacific Egg and Poultry Association San Mateo County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Sonoma Foie Gras U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Over 900 individual letters of opposition. Consultant:Bill Gage SB 1520 Page 13