Foie Gras on the Ballot: José Andrés vs. Initiative 86 in the Nation's Capital
By Dakota Jones
LD3 News Desk: Food & Dining
Washington, D.C.’s November 3 ballot has one local initiative. It’s not about housing, taxes, or traffic. It’s about foie gras, and a fight over animal welfare, restaurant freedom, and which problems deserve attention first.
If Initiative 86 passes, it becomes law directly. The proposal would prohibit force-feeding birds to enlarge their livers and ban the sale, distribution, and importation of foie gras in the District. It would take effect July 1, 2027, with civil penalties of $1,000 to $5,000 per day for violations.
The ballot question is narrow. The argument around it is not.
Cotton candy foie gras at The Bazaar. Photo: Peggy Cormary/Getty Images, via City Cast DC.
What voters are deciding
Foie gras is the fattened liver of a duck or goose, produced through force-feeding. Supporters of Initiative 86 say the practice is cruel and should not be part of the District’s food economy. Partnership lead Slobodan Milic put the campaign’s case bluntly: “These birds are tortured … until their liver enlarges 10 times over.”
Milic says D.C. is the second-biggest market for foie gras in the United States. He also argues that enforcement could be folded into regular restaurant inspections, even if the District incurs a predicted $300,000 a year in costs.
If approved, D.C. would join California and cities including Portland and New York City in restricting foie gras. For restaurant owners, that’s not an abstract policy shift. It could mean changing menus, suppliers, and business plans.
José Andrés says there are bigger problems
José Andrés, the world-renowned chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, has spoken out against the initiative. On X, he questioned where a ban like this might lead:
“Let's ban beef and pork and chicken … and also vegetables too because is a study that says that maybe indications of suffering. We have children hungry in USA and the World … lets end hunger and then we talk,”
In a separate post, he wrote: “I've been through this in California … just lets concentrate on things that matter.”
It’s a pointed argument: D.C. has serious problems, and a foie gras ban shouldn’t be near the top of the list. But advocates have pushed back on the idea that animal welfare must wait until every other crisis is solved. In other words, the city can care about more than one thing at once. Apparently, even the ballot can multitask.
A Capitol Hill restaurant makes its stand
At Butterworth’s on Capitol Hill, owner and chef Bart Hutchins is fighting the measure with a four-course tasting-menu fundraiser called “Foie Gras at the End of the World.” The event runs from October 27 through Election Day, with proceeds intended to fund a legal defense against the initiative.
Hutchins says he would rather move the restaurant to Virginia than stop serving foie gras. He has called the debate “intellectually dishonest.” That’s a dramatic menu change, to say the least: one day you’re serving dinner on Capitol Hill; the next, the border crossing is part of the business plan.
The dispute has drawn protests, outside spending, and legal threats, according to Axios DC. Those tactics raise the temperature, but they don’t answer the basic question voters face: Should the District prohibit this product and practice, or leave the decision to restaurants and diners?
What happens next
The practical stakes are clear, even if the rhetoric is loud. A yes vote would put the ban into law, with the effective date and penalties set out in the measure. A no vote would leave foie gras sales in place under current rules.
If you’re voting in D.C., read the actual ballot language and weigh the arguments, not just the celebrity posts or the spiciest campaign quote. The District’s Board of Elections lists Initiative 86 among its current measures, and voters can review the official information here.
For more local coverage, visit the LD3 Productions News Desk.
FAQ
Is Initiative 86 the only initiative on D.C.’s November 3, 2026 ballot?
Yes. It is the District’s only initiative on that ballot.
When would the restrictions take effect?
If passed, the measure would take effect July 1, 2027.
What penalties could apply?
The measure provides for civil penalties of $1,000 to $5,000 per day.
Why is José Andrés opposing the initiative?
He argues that the ban is a misplaced priority and that restaurants are already dealing with significant pressures.
Final Thoughts
Initiative 86 asks voters to make a direct choice about force-feeding birds and foie gras sales in Washington, D.C. The animal-welfare case and the restaurant-industry concerns are both part of the debate. Before casting your ballot, check the measure’s language, consider the likely consequences, and decide which argument carries more weight. That’s the work of a voter. The foie gras can wait.
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