Denver Voters Weigh Ban on Force-Fed Bird Products
Initiated Ordinance 311 would prohibit force-feeding birds and selling products such as foie gras in Denver starting July 1, 2027.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Dining Out
Live Poll
Should Denver ban force-feeding birds and the sale of foie gras?
Denver voters are casting ballots on Initiated Ordinance 311, which would ban force-feeding birds and the sale of products like foie gras within the city. First results were scheduled for release at 7 p.m. on November 3, 2026.
Why it matters
If approved, about 15 local restaurants would need to remove foie gras from their menus, and violators could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation or license suspension for repeat offenses. The outcome will show whether Denver residents support a city-level restriction on a practice that Denver has no farms or factories currently using.
The campaign supporting Initiated Ordinance 311 has raised nearly $326,144.55, compared with $198,500 raised by opponents, including a $246,141 contribution from the Karuna Foundation. Denver currently has no farms or factories that force-feed birds, and the ordinance would apply only within city limits.
The players
Karuna Foundation
An advocacy organization whose $246,141 contribution helped support the campaign for the ban.
Western Stock Show Association
The organization behind the National Western Stock Show in Denver, which contributed $25,000 to oppose the measure.
The details
Initiated Ordinance 311 would bar force-feeding birds and selling products such as foie gras in Denver, with fines of up to $5,000 per violation for restaurants and possible license suspensions for repeated violations. The measure includes an exemption for veterinarians who force-feed birds for medical reasons.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Denver voters cast ballots on Initiated Ordinance 311, with first results released at 7 p.m.
July 1, 2027: The force-feeding and foie gras sales ban would take effect if approved.
Culture Shift
Denver's ballot measure follows California's 2004 statewide foie gras ban, which took effect in 2012, extending the same restriction from a state law to a city-level vote. Whether Denver voters approve it will indicate whether local governments are willing to adopt similar bans without statewide action.
If Initiated Ordinance 311 passes, Denver diners will no longer be able to order foie gras at about 15 local restaurants starting July 1, 2027. Restaurants that break the rule could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation.
The takeaway
Denver residents deciding Initiated Ordinance 311 are choosing whether a city-level product ban should apply to a food item that is not produced locally. Readers who dine out in Denver should expect the menu changes described above if the measure passes.
Further reading
For more on local restaurant trends, see Dining Out coverage of Denver.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Denverite.
Live Poll
Should Denver ban force-feeding birds and the sale of foie gras?
