- New York City council members are expected to pass a bill banning the sale of foie gras in stores and restaurants
- Those caught selling the delicacy could be slapped with a $1000 fine and up to 12 months in prison
- Vendors and producers say the bill has the potential to eliminate 400 jobs and strip $150 million from the industry every year
- New York City will be the second place in the US to outlaw the sale of foie gras, with California enacting a full state ban earlier this year
- The state first announced plans to ban the specialty food product back in 2004, but the move was subject to two high-profile court cases
- Chicago banned the sale of foie gras in 2006, but the law was overturned just two years later
The sale of foie gras looks set to become illegal in New York City with city council members expected to pass a bill on Wednesday that bans the sale of the fattened liver of a duck or goose at restaurants and grocery stores.
Under the bill, vendors and restaurateurs caught selling the French delicacy could be slapped with a $1000 fine and a year behind bars.
Animal welfare advocates have long supported banning the sale of foie gras, claiming the practice of force-feeding a bird by sticking a tube down its throat is inhumane.
However, farmers who produce the specialty food product say that the ducks and geese do not suffer during the fattening process.
Vendors and producers also say the bill could cause trouble for New York state, which is home to many farms that produce foie gras for the US market.
Critics claim up to 400 jobs could be destroyed and that $150 million could be lost annually.