Geese farmed for foie gras undergo force-feeding that causes significant suffering. Understanding the welfare science behind this practice supports informed consumer and policy decisions.
Foie gras production from geese involves the same fundamental welfare harms as duck foie gras — force-feeding causing physical and psychological distress, liver disease sufficient to cause organ failure if slaughter were delayed, and impaired mobility from abdominal distension. Geese, as highly social birds, also experience additional stress from the individual confinement used during feeding periods. The ban on foie gras production in over 20 countries reflects a scientific and ethical consensus that the practice cannot be reconciled with acceptable animal welfare. Consumer refusal to purchase foie gras, combined with legislative pressure, has reduced its market share significantly over the past decade.