H 7718Food & Beverage

Food and Drugs - Force-Fed Poultry Products

This bill bans the force-feeding of birds and prohibits the sale of force-fed poultry products, such as foie gras.

Introduced

Population
Affected

Introduced Feb 12, 2026Committee House Corporations

Plain-English Summary

This legislation bans the practice of force-feeding poultry, such as ducks and geese, for the purpose of enlarging their livers (a process used to create foie gras). It prohibits the sale of any force-fed poultry products in Rhode Island, including sales conducted over the internet or by phone. Products labeled as "foie gras" are presumed to be force-fed unless the seller can prove otherwise. Violations of this law are subject to a $500 civil penalty per offense, which can be enforced by local animal control, peace officers, or the Department of Health.

For younger readers

This new rule stops people from treating ducks and geese badly to make a special fancy food called "foie gras." Sometimes, farmers force these birds to eat way too much food so their livers get very big, which hurts the birds. This law says farmers in Rhode Island cannot do that anymore. It also says that stores and restaurants are not allowed to sell food made this way. If a person or business breaks this rule, they will have to pay a fine of $500.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Restaurants (Fine Dining)Poultry FarmersSpecialty Food RetailersConsumersAnimal Control Departments

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

There is a potential conflict with the Dormant Commerce Clause, as the bill bans the sale of products likely imported from other states. However, recent Supreme Court rulings (e.g., *National Pork Producers Council v. Ross*) have upheld state bans based on moral standards given no discriminatory intent against out-of-state commerce. The "rebuttable presumption" regarding labeling shifts the burden of proof to the defendant, which could raise minor due process questions but is generally permissible in regulatory contexts.

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

$500/violation

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Promotes animal welfare by outlawing the inhumane practice of force-feeding birds, aligning with ethical standards against cruelty to sentient beings.
Addresses public health concerns by regulating an industry associated with zoonotic diseases, thereby protecting the community from potential health risks.
Supports environmental sustainability by discouraging industrial farming practices that the legislature deems environmentally harmful.
Could be viewed as targeting specific cultural culinary traditions, potentially alienating communities that view foie gras as an important heritage food.
May negatively impact small restaurant owners and workers in the fine dining sector by removing a high-margin luxury item from their menus.
Might be criticized as a performative legislative priority that distracts from more urgent human social justice issues like housing, healthcare, or poverty.

For Conservatives

Empowers local municipalities to enforce the law and retain the revenue from fines, supporting local control and funding.
Upholds the principle of moral stewardship by preventing egregious animal cruelty, which aligns with many traditional values regarding the humane treatment of living creatures.
Protects the consumer marketplace by restricting products that the legislature has determined pose health risks (zoonotic diseases).
Represents government overreach into the free market by banning the sale of a legal agricultural product, limiting consumer choice and business freedom.
Creates a "guilty until proven innocent" standard for businesses by presuming any product labeled "foie gras" is illegal, placing the burden of proof on the merchant.
Imposes excessive regulations on private businesses and restaurants, further expanding the administrative state and potential for government intrusion.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 34 additions

SECTION 1. Title 21 of the General Laws entitled "FOOD AND DRUGS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 21-13.1-1. Legislative intent. The general assembly recognizes it is in the public interest to protect the public health and general welfare of the State of Rhode Island by regulating industries, such as foie gras, that are inhumane, environmentally unsustainable, and increase the risk of zoonotic diseases. 21-13.1-2. Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Force-fed poultry product” means any product that is the result of force-feeding a bird, including, but not limited to, a duck or a goose, with the intent to fatten or enlarge the bird's liver.

(2) “Force-feeding” means the practice of forcing, by any means, food or supplements into the throat, esophagus, crop or stomach of an animal.

(3) “Sell” means any act of selling, trading, or bartering for monetary or nonmonetary consideration, and includes any transfer of ownership that occurs in the course of a commercial transaction. 21-13.1-3. Prohibited conduct.

(a) A person shall not engage in force-feeding to create a force-fed poultry product nor hire another to engage in force-feeding to create a force-fed poultry product.

(b) A person shall not sell in Rhode Island by any means, including, but not limited to, direct, telephone, electronic or Internet sales, any force-fed poultry product or food containing a force-fed poultry product. For purposes of this chapter, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that an item that is in any way identified or labeled as "foie gras", or listed on a menu as "foie gras", is a force-fed poultry product. Any party seeking to rebut such presumption shall provide documentary evidence proving that the product they are storing, keeping, maintaining, offering for sale, or selling is not a force-fed poultry product as defined in this chapter. 21-13.1-4. Enforcement.

(a) Any person who is found to violate any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) for each violation. Each such violation may be treated as a separate and distinct offense, and in the case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance thereof may be treated as a separate and distinct offense.

(b) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter may be prosecuted by the city or town where the violation occurs, or by the state department of health, and the municipality or department of health, after deducting the costs of trial and conviction, may retain the balance of the fine or fines recovered for the use of the municipality or department.

(c) A peace officer, officer of an animal control or animal regulation department of a public agency, may issue a citation to a person who violates this chapter.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.