Opponents of foie gras production have a well-scripted argument to explain why the product should be banned. Foie gras, the fatted liver of a specially fed duck or goose, is produced by inhumane methods, critics say. To counter that argument, Hudson Valley Foie Gras, one of only two producers in the United States, has made an interesting decision: total transparency. Come to our farm, the company says, and see for yourself that the company’s ducks are treated well.
Izzy Yanay, general manager and co-founder of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, says that the choice to embrace transparency was an obvious one. “We either bar people and put up huge fences around the farm, and then they would try to infiltrate the farm by acting like prospective employees. Or we say, ‘Come and see! We’re not trying to hide anything.’”