No more force-feeding in Flanders

The last company to produce foie gras in Flanders is stopping the practice of force-feeding. As of 1 January, there will no longer be force-feeding anywhere in Flanders, about a year before the proposed deadline of the end of 2023.

“We are once again saying goodbye to an outdated practice - just as we did with unsedated slaughter, tail docking and fur farming,” says Flemish Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts. “Force-feeding is still economically profitable, but as a civilised society, we consider animal welfare more important. There is a fair financial settlement for the people behind the company.”

Outdated and barbaric

Christmas is approaching, a time when many families have foie gras on the menu. In practice, however, the production of foie gras often involves force-feeding. This is outdated and barbaric. Under the impetus of Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts, a phase-out scenario for force-feeding in Flanders was thus introduced. Force-feeding had to end by the end of 2023 at the latest. The Flemish Government would provide fair compensation, but the amount of this compensation would decrease the longer the company waited. For example, there was a clear financial incentive to stop force-feeding to produce the fattest liver possible before the deadline.

One year before the deadline

The last company to produce foie gras in Flanders is stopping the practice of force-feeding now. Specifically, the company in Ichtegem will no longer conduct force-feeding as from 1 January 2023. There will thus no longer be force-feeding anywhere in Flanders one year before the proposed deadline. “I’m glad the company doesn’t necessarily want to continue until the bitter end,” Weyts says. “We no longer want these practices in Flanders, but we have provided compensation. This allows the company to stop these activities with dignity.”

Flanders takes the lead in Europe

Combating force-feeding must be further pursued at the European level. There are still unrealistic requirements imposed on the production of foie gras: a duck liver must be fattened to 300 grams, a goose liver to 400 grams. That is six to ten times the weight of a healthy liver of a healthy animal. In practice, it amounts to the animals getting their food force-fed down their throats. The animals are literally made sick. Flanders is taking the lead in Europe when it comes to increased animal welfare,” says Ben Weyts. “A civilised society has a duty, plain and simple, to prevent avoidable animal suffering as much as possible.”