For long, animal activists have protested against the sale of foie gras, stating that the production process is cruel and unnecessary.
In late 2004, then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed a bill banning the sale of foie gras. The regulation included a grace period to help chefs and farmers develop an alternative way to produce fatty liver.
However, no alternative methods were developed. The ban is effective beginning 1 July 2012 and the sale of Foie gras would lead to a penalty of up to $1,000.
Currently, France is the largest producer and consumer of foie gras.
