After Denver foie gras ban, animal rights group plans municipal push

Context: The measure banning the sale of the dish made through force-feeding ducks or geese led by 36 points, the most recent preliminary results show.

• The measure doesn't affect personal possession or consumption, or foie gras produced without force-feeding.

Threat level: Foie gras is available in fewer than 20 local restaurants.

Still, the win shows Denverites care about animal welfare, with results exceeding expectations, Pro-Animal Colorado spokesperson Dani Withaar tells us.

• Withaar pushed back on suggestions that it's a niche issue: "It really represents something much larger, which is the way that animals are treated and our food system, and especially on factory farms."
• She credited hundreds of volunteers who educated the public about foie gras production — including campaign signs with images of force-fed animals.

Between the lines: Two years ago, the same group unsuccessfully ran two measures to close Denver's only slaughterhouse and end fur sales and manufacturing.

The other side: While backers say the measure has minimal impact on local restaurants, it's the latest strain for an industry already feeling restricted by city policies.

• "This is a slippery slope that opens the door for further product bans and overregulation," Colorado Restaurant Association government affairs director Nick Hoover said in a statement.
• An opposition campaign argued the ban eliminates consumer choice and removes a chef's artistic expression.

Zoom out: Washington, D.C., residents appear poised to pass a similar ban — but in a city where the dish is found in more restaurants, it could face a legal fight.