LOS ANGELES (AP) - Foie gras lovers are rejoicing after a federal judge in Los Angeles blocked California's ban on the sale of the fatty duck and goose liver.
Judge Stephen V. Wilson on Wednesday permanently blocked the state attorney general from enforcing the law that took effect two years ago.
Wilson found that the federal government's authority to regulate foie gras and other poultry products supersedes the state's authority.
California barred farmers from force-feeding birds with a tube, which is how foie gras is produced. The state also banned sales of the delicacy.
The Hermosa Beach restaurant Hot's Kitchen, and foie gras farmers in Canada and New York sued.
Their attorney, Michael Tenenbaum, called the ruling a victory "not just for foie gras but for freedom."
