Geese are farmed for meat, foie gras, and feathers. Foie gras production involves force-feeding that is widely considered incompatible with acceptable welfare standards.
Goose farming welfare varies dramatically between production types. Conventionally raised geese with outdoor access have reasonably good welfare — they are naturally suited to grazing and are less intensively managed than chickens. Foie gras production represents the opposite extreme: force-feeding via tube causes liver disease, respiratory distress, and suffering that most welfare scientists consider unacceptable. The welfare case against foie gras is overwhelming. For feather and down products, live-plucking causes acute pain and fear — certified down products (RDS) provide assurance that this has not occurred. Consumer choices in all three categories directly influence welfare outcomes.