Merry Christmas ! Grégory Doucet, the mayor of Lyon, will soon receive a nice package of fake foie gras “for which no innocent individual has had to suffer”. A gift from
Peta, the association for the defense of animals to thank him for his decision to ban, as the environmental mayors of Grenoble, Strasbourg and Villeurbanne did before him, that real foie gras be served in official buffets.
More good news for geese and ducks! 🦆
After Villeurbanne, Strasbourg and Grenoble it is now the @villedelyon which speaks out against animal cruelty by banning foie gras from its official receptions! 🥳
Thank them!https://t.co/xlkjnqUf5s– PETA France (@PETA_France) December 8, 2021
The municipality of Lyon considers that this breeding goes “against animal welfare” and as a bonus encourages the city’s restaurateurs to follow suit. But, while animal friends applaud with both hands, especially vegan consumers on social networks, among producers in the South-West, we are strangling.
“A lack of knowledge of people”
“We especially feel offended that mayors respond to the injunction of an American extremist association and attack a flagship of French gastronomy which contributes to the attractiveness of our regions”, explains Marie-Pierre Pé, the Director of the Interprofessional Committee of Foie Gras Palmipeds (Cifog), whose members – producers and processors – represent “100,000 jobs in France”. The official recognizes that a boycott of the food in some municipal ceremonies will not endanger the industry. She is especially surprised at a certain “ignorance” of the mayors “probably in the pre-campaign”, or even at a frank disconnection.
Let’s be crazy
Makes some noise
I want it in twitter trend from here tonight
Share a max
No to green dictatorship #jaimelefoiegras– Cedric (@ agric15) December 9, 2021
Eric Dumas, the president of Cifog, wants as proof a survey commissioned from the CSA institute according to which “75% of the French intend to consume foie gras for the end of year celebrations, against 73% last year”. And no worries about stocks: the last episode of avian flu has certainly led to slaughter and therefore a drop in production, but the long confinement of restaurants has unfortunately compensated for the phenomenon. “There will be foie gras for everyone! », Assure the professionals.
A supporting hashtag
Failing to be on the tables of certain town halls, the sector is supported by gourmets. Some are trying this Thursday to transform #jaimelefoiegras into the Twitter trend of the day. But this mini-controversy against the backdrop of New Year’s Eve also pushes breeders to justify themselves. “Our animals have a long lifespan [3 mois] and an outdoor course. Force-feeding takes place for ten days at the end of breeding, twice a day while respecting the animal’s digestive cycle, ”explains Marie-Pierre Pé. “In thirty years, the profession and research have evolved. At the time, we were trying to get the biggest foie gras possible. The norm is now 450 to 550 grams and sometimes you wonder if the ducks are fattened or not, ”she adds.
To convince, and without much illusion, Cifog invites environmentalist mayors to visit farms. For the rest, the producers, although “annoyed”, wisely let “the consumers decide”.