DC Board of Elections Qualifies Foie Gras Ban for Ballot

The District of Columbia Board of Elections announced Wednesday that a measure to ban the production and sale of foie gras produced through force-feeding has qualified for the November ballot. Known as Initiative 86, or the Prohibiting Force-Feeding of Birds Act of 2026, the proposal would prohibit the practice and the distribution of resulting products within the city.

Pro-Animal DC, an animal advocacy group, secured the ballot spot by submitting more than 46,000 signatures, nearly double the required minimum. Natalie Fulton, the group's media and content lead, noted that the effort resulted in more signatures than any other ballot initiative in D.C. history except for recreational marijuana.

If approved by voters, the law would take effect on July 1, 2027. Violating businesses would face fines between $1,000 and $5,000, with repeated offenses potentially leading to the suspension or revocation of business licenses. While advocates frame the issue as a matter of animal cruelty, some local business owners, including chef Bart Hutchins, argue that the practice simply amplifies a natural biological process found in wild ducks.