“neither boycott, nor ban”, assures Grégory Doucet
The elected representative wishes “to see the emergence of other models than that of industrial agriculture and livestock intensify
The decision caused a great deal of controversy. The mayor EELV of Lyon Grégory Doucet wished on Sunday to cut short the recent controversy over the ban on foie gras in municipal receptions. “Neither call for a boycott, nor measure of prohibition”, an assured the main city councilor in Lyon.
In a column published by the Journal du Dimanche, the elected official said “to measure and share what this festive period represents for producers, restaurateurs and residents”, ensuring that “no reproach is made to the composition of menus of each other “.
“A good table requires good products. Their total freedom is not debated”, but “the question of public order should not be confused with that of festive meals, in the home as in the restaurant”, insists- he does.
Emergence of other models
Going almost unnoticed in September 2020, the decision of the Lyon ecologist majority to ban foie gras from receptions a week after being triggered by the animal rights organization Peta after an investigation into town hall policy with respect to this traditional gastronomic specialty.
And when the town hall indicated Monday to the monthly Lyon Capitale that it would like “to broaden the dialogue around these questions, so that its initiative can be followed in restaurants”, producers and chefs had seen it as a call for a boycott.
“This is neither a call for a boycott, nor a prohibition measure”, indicated Doucet, wishes “to see the emergence of other models than that of industrial agriculture and intensive breeding, commoditization or intensification of chain force-feeding of geese “.
Other cities have done the same
The mayor elected in 2020 says he wants to “promote local productions, which takes into account the issue of animal welfare, fair remuneration for producers, low ecological impact (and) respect for the land”.
“The choices of the communities participate in the evolution of practices, and it is happy!”, He concluded.
In addition to Lyon, the ecological town halls of Strasbourg – since July 2020 – and Grenoble – since 2014 – have also banned foie gras from their ceremonies and events. The socialist mayor of Villeurbanne, near Lyon, took a similar step in May 2021.