California faces 'crise de foie gras' as Schwarzenegger bans

Link : http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040930/323/f3nr6.html



LOS ANGELES (AFP) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law that will effectively take foie gras off the menu in the state, banning the forcefeeding of geese and ducks often carried out to produce the French delicacy.

The law -- signed Wednesday by the star turned governor -- follows appeals from stars like Paul McCartney and Kim Basinger who oppose forcefeeding.

The law was approved by California state legislators last month. It will not take effect until 2012, however, to give producers a chance to alter their practices.

But in the long term, foie gras could well disappear from California tables. Once the law takes effect, violators will be fined up to 1,000 dollars for each infraction and a maximum of 1,000 dollars for every day the forcefeeding continues.