An Eastbourne Friend has succeeded in persuading Eastbourne Borough Council to ban the sale and serving of foie gras on Council controlled premises and land.
The campaign arose from the French market held on Eastbourne seafront in the summer of 2009, where Bill Palethorpe of Eastbourne Meeting saw tins of foie gras were on sale. Bill headed a campaign, which was supported by Viva! (Vegetarians Voice for Animals), Animal Aid and members of Quaker Concern for Animals to try to secure a ban on the sale of foie gras on Council- run property. He spent several months negotiating with Council officials and organised a petition from local residents which resulted in the ban receiving unanimous cross-party support at a Council meeting on 31 March.
Foie gras is produced from the liver of a duck or goose that has been force fed, causing the liver of the bird to swell up to ten times its normal size. A pipe is inserted down the throat of the bird and pulped maize pumped into their stomach, sometimes resulting in severe injury or death.
Eastbourne Borough Council now joins a number of authorities including York, Bolton, Stockport, Cambridge and Norwich, in banning the product on its property.
Bill, a professional chef, commented: “Our success with both the foie gras campaign, together with the recent ‘purple poppy’ campaign to commemorate all non-human animals killed in wars, illustrates two marvellous examples of unity and democracy between residents and Council.
Ann Johnson, QCA Area Representative, Sussex East.
Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctP_OMrtHF8&feature=player_embedded
http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/Foie-gras-is-banned-by.6199460.jp
Well done….Friends