By Samantha Bordes in Paris
Assocated Press
October 1, 2004

FRENCH foie gras makers angrily objected to a California Bill aimed at banning the sale of the creamy delicacy, dismissing it as the by-product of bad taste in the land of hamburgers and vegetarians.

"Let the Americans eat their hamburgers, and in France we'll eat our foie gras," said Alain Labarthe, the president of CIFOG, the main industry association for foie gras producers.

The reaction came a day after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a Bill that will end the force feeding of ducks, geese and other birds to produce the gourmet liver product by 2012.

The Bill, strongly supported by animal rights activists and several celebrities, will also ban the sale of foie gras in California starting that same year if it is obtained by force feeding the birds.

"What is troubling is that today, force feeding is being called into question by some actors who don't even consume meat," said Mr Labarthe, referring to the large number of vegetarians in California.