Brazil Signs Foie Gras Ban Into Law, Drawing Criticism From France Over Trade
Brazil's Foie Gras Ban and International Response
By Lisandra Paraguassu and Oliver Griffin
Background of the Ban
BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, July 24 (Reuters) - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a law late on Thursday to ban the sale and production of the French delicacy foie gras in the South American country, citing animal cruelty.
France considers foie gras — traditionally made from fattened duck and goose livers — part of its culinary heritage, but animal rights activists have condemned the practice of force-feeding ducks or geese to enlarge their livers.
Brazil's foie gras production is tiny, so the ban on sales will effectively end imports of the luxury food from France.
Diplomatic Tensions and Trade Implications
French Diplomatic Efforts
When lawmakers approved the ban in April, French diplomats stepped up pressure on Lula to veto the bill, according to a Brazilian diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"The argument was that their production does not involve animal cruelty, that it is a cultural issue, and so on," the Brazilian diplomat said. "But there was no chance of (a veto) ... It was approved unanimously by Congress."
The French embassy in Brasilia and the France-Brazil Chamber of Commerce declined to comment.
Trade Relations and the EU-Mercosur Agreement
France is in no position to make demands of Brazil, the Brazilian diplomat added, citing French obstruction to the approval of an EU-Mercosur trade agreement signed in January after 25 years of negotiations.
France saw that deal as an opportunity to increase foie gras exports to Brazil, the source said.
After Brazil's Congress approved the ban, French foie gras industry association CIFOG said in a statement on its website that the law would breach the EU-Mercosur deal.
Animal Welfare Debate
Conflicting Reports on Animal Welfare
While a European Union report published in 2022 found that foie gras production respected animal welfare rules, Brazilian animal rights activists have questioned those findings.
Perspectives from Animal Rights Organizations
"What constitutes 'good treatment' can be pretty relative, right? I don't know what they mean by 'good treatment,' but for animal welfare organizations, there is no wellbeing involved," Marina Lacorte, food systems campaign manager at welfare group World Animal Protection, said of foie gras production.
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia and Oliver Griffin in Sao Paulo; Editing by Rod Nickel)
