La Belle Farms and Hudson Valley Foie Gras to Challenge Recent Appellate Ruling That Limits State Review of NYC’s Foie Gras Ban

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- Upstate Duck Farmers Will Ask New York's Highest Court to Restore Earlier Ruling that Protected Farm Practices and Farmers' Livelihoods -

FERNDALE, N.Y., March 18, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — La Belle Farms, a fourth-generation, family owned and operated duck farm located in Ferndale, N.Y., announced today it will appeal the recent decision by the Appellate Division, Third Department, which ruled that the State Department of Agriculture and Markets misapplied state law when it blocked New York City’s 2019 ban on the sale of foie gras (Local Law 202).

Last week, the appeals court found that the state agency’s protection of La Belle’s farm operations went beyond what the statute allows. The farm said it respects the court system and will seek review by the New York Court of Appeals to resolve the competing priorities at issue – NYC’s animal-welfare concerns and New York State’s longstanding policy to support agriculture as a vital part of the economy.

“Today’s ruling is a setback, but we will not stop fighting for our right to farm and to sell our product,” said Sergio Saravia. “This appeal is about more than foie gras; it’s about protecting family farms and the many jobs and small businesses that depend on them. We’ll be asking the Court of Appeals to clarify how state agricultural protection should operate so farmers aren’t left vulnerable to local measures that reach well beyond city limits.”

La Belle Farms is a fourth-generation, family-run duck farm on 40 acres in Sullivan County, NY. Founded by the Saravia family in 1999, La Belle is one of the few farms nationwide producing foie gras and premium duck meat, and it supports the regional economy by employing hundreds of local workers and partnering with area businesses.

“Agriculture depends on predictable and consistent policies so farmers can operate with certainty,” notes Marcus Henley, manager of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, a premier New York foie gras producer. “It becomes difficult when different municipalities adopt their own restrictions on products that are otherwise legal under state law.”

Edward Phillips of Keane & Bean, PC, who represents La Belle Farms, added: “We will ask the Court of Appeals to review the record and uphold the Commissioner’s determination. The Appellate Division held that the Commissioner was powerless to stop the City from imposing a sales ban that was admittedly designed to restrict a farming practice. That ruling, which is unprecedented and leaves all farmers across the state vulnerable to similar sales bans, should be reviewed by New York’s highest court.”

While the Appellate Division ruled against the agency’s interpretation, La Belle Farms notes that a separate injunction from another case currently prevents the city from enforcing Local Law 202.

Court: NY Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department

Docket Number: CV-24-1310 – https://decisions.courts.state.ny.us/ad3/Decisions/2026/CV-24-1310.pdf

Citation: 2026 NY Slip Op 01426

ABOUT LA BELLE FARMS:

La Belle Farms is a 40-acre, family-run, duck farm located in Sullivan County, NY. It is one of three farms in the country that produce foie gras. The farm was established by the Saravia and Lee families in 1999 and has supported four generations of family members. It currently produces over 182,000 ducks per-year for high-quality foie gras and other superior duck meat products. Their management team constantly travels around the world, learning about the latest production methods and keeping tabs on culinary trends. Learn more: https://labellefarms.com/.

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Photo link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/26-0318-s2p-labellw-300dpi.webp

Photo caption: Foie gras, a timeless delicacy rich in tradition and flavor. Courtesy La Belle Farms.

NEWS SOURCE: La Belle Farms

Keywords: Legal and Law, Foie gras, La Belle Farms, duck meat products, NYC Foie Gras Ban, NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets, FERNDALE, N.Y.

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (La Belle Farms) who is solely responsible for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P134005 APDF15TBLLI

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