Labour to back down on foie gras and fur bans to ease EU trade deal | Animal welfare

The government will break its manifesto pledge to ban foie gras imports and has refused to halt fur imports after the EU drew those red lines in trade deal talks.

Animal welfare charities say they are “bitterly disappointed” that ministers have not used Brexit-given powers to restrict the import of these “cruel” items.

Sources close to discussions between the UK and the EU have said the UK is ready to lift its foie gras import ban because there are other more pressing sticking points, such as the precision growing of crops. Ministers say this is more likely to boost the economy than banning imports of foie gras and fur.

Government leaves foie gras ban off agenda recently launched animal welfare plan. Also published response to a consultation There was a fur ban at the end of last month. Despite 97 per cent of respondents saying it is wrong to kill animals for their fur and the vast majority of respondents wanting a ban, ministers have not committed to import restrictions and are instead setting up a working group to examine the fur industry.

Fur farming has been banned since 2000, and foie gras production has been illegal in the UK since 2006. However, both are mostly imported from EU countries and sold in shops and restaurants in the UK.

Before the election, then-shadow environment minister Steve Reed said Labor would “ban commercial imports of foie gras where ducks and geese have been aggressively force-fed”.

Foie gras is made by force-feeding ducks and geese through a funnel or tube pushed down the bird’s neck; this process is known as foie gras. tube feeding This swells the animal’s liver to many times its normal size. Then the livers are collected.

EU member states are not allowed to ban each other’s products on animal welfare grounds. Since leaving the EU, Britain has had the freedom to restrict imports of EU products but has not done so until now. Now, under a trade deal expected to be finalized in the autumn, the UK will once again need an exemption from EU laws to ban these products.

David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, said: “Every animal deserves a life free of suffering. We are deeply disappointed that the Government has not banned the sale and import of fur and welcome the roundtable to consider next steps. While any move to reduce fur imports is a positive step, stronger action is needed to stop the fur trade in the UK, especially at a time when Europe is moving towards licensing fur farms.”

Alexis Gauthier, the manager of the Gauthier restaurateur in London’s Soho, said the government should ban foie gras, describing it as a “disgusting product”. He said: “Throwing this crucial animal welfare promise under the bus and blaming the EU would be yet another demonstration of this government’s rudderless policy, toothless negotiations and a clear lack of honesty or compassion.”

Gauthier was one of the UK’s biggest importers of foie gras but went vegan after campaign group Peta protested outside the restaurant where he served the product. He now serves “fake gras” made with mushrooms, lentils, walnuts and cognac, and says the mixture mimics the buttery taste foie gras fans are looking for.

Fur farms have been criticized for cruelty because the animals are often confined in small areas.

Claire Bass, campaign director at Humane World For Animals UK, said: “The previous Labor government banned fur farming in the UK more than 20 years ago. Allowing the UK market to outsource fur from bloody and cruel farming practices abroad should have no place in our trading environment with the EU or anywhere else.”

Bowles added: “The UK government must deliver on its commitment to end imports of this cruel product. High animal welfare standards must not be compromised for the sake of trade deals, so we call on ministers to provide clarity and deliver on this commitment without further delay.”

Some restaurants in England still sell foie gras, but many stores have removed foie gras, including King’s grocer Fortnum and Mason, which was removed from shelves in 2021.

Boris Johnson’s Conservative government had plans to use “Brexit freedoms” to ban imports of fur and foie gras, but shelved these after objections from Tory MPs who did not want their favorite fashions and delicacies to be banned.

Spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs He said: “We are proud to have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, where fur farming has been banned in the UK for 20 years.

“We welcome the publication of our expert Animal Welfare Committee’s report on the responsible sourcing of fur. It fulfills a key commitment made in the government’s world-leading animal welfare strategy.”

Alexis Gauthier’s vegan fake liver recipe

Contents

1 shallot, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons of olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped sage
24 mushrooms, roughly sliced
2 tablespoons of cognac
2 tablespoons soy sauce
400 g cooked lentils
150 g roasted walnuts
2 tablespoons of beet puree
black pepper to taste

Method

In a heavy skillet, sauté the shallot in two tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic, chopped herbs and mushrooms. Add cognac and increase heat.

Add soy sauce, reduce heat and cook over low heat for six minutes. Remove the pan from the stove and let it cool.

Pulse the mushroom mixture, remaining olive oil, lentils, walnuts, beet puree and black pepper in a food processor until smooth. Optionally add an extra splash of cognac.

Before serving, place in a small glass jar and refrigerate for a few hours. Serve alongside toasted sourdough slices or other bread.