AUGUSTA – Lawmakers have requested the state veterinarian head to the nearest foie gras-producing facility before weighing in on a bill that would ban the practice in the state of Maine.

The Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee held a public hearing Wednesday on a bill that would ban the force-feeding of ducks and geese to produce a delicacy called pté de foie gras, which is made from the birds’ livers.

Currently, there are no facilities in Maine that do so.

“I decided before I could make a determination on whether I could reconcile this practice with my own ethics, I would need to see it,” Maine state veterinarian Dr. Donald Hoenig said in an interview Thursday.

But Hoenig wasn’t planning to visit Hudson Valley Foie Gras, a company in Ferndale, N.Y., until the committee chairwoman asked him to go.

“Actually, what I would have done eventually, is stopped by there on my own time,” he said.

Rep. Wendy Pieh, D-Bremen, chairwoman of the committee, said if the state decided against banning the practice, it would be good for the state vet to have seen how it works, in case someone in the future would want to bring it to Maine.

“And I don’t think it would be a major expense, if he’s already going to D.C. or New York, to take a look at it,” she said.

Hoenig plans to tack on the visit to the end of an already-approved trip to Washington, D.C. He said his travel request would likely include the assistant state veterinarian driving a state car to pick him up at an airport and drive to Ferndale, which is about two hours from New York City.

“It would be an extra night’s lodging for me and a night’s lodging for my assistant veterinarian if she goes, and then a day out of the office,” Hoenig said.

“People might question, certainly, why we would send two veterinarians out there to look at this practice, but then again, it’s the Legislature asking us to go and the commissioner of agriculture is supportive,” he said. “Whether the governor is going to be supportive or not, I don’t know.”

Such a trip is contingent upon the approval of the commissioner of Agriculture, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services and the governor. In 2003, Baldacci ordered a freeze on new hires, unscheduled overtime and travel, with limited exceptions.

David Farmer, spokesman for Gov. John Baldacci, said he would have to see the details of the request before issuing an opinion.

“We would always want to help the Legislature gather information if it’s reasonable and appropriate to do so,” Farmer said.

At least two legislators on the committee said they were ready to vote on the bill based on the extensive testimony provided during Wednesday’s hearing, without waiting for the vet to make his trip.

Sen. Bruce Bryant, D-Dixfield, and Rep. Peter Edgecomb, R-Caribou, said they likely would vote against the bill.

“Our citizens are already concerned about the amount of time we’ve spent on this topic,” Edgecomb said Thursday. “The money, (Hoenig’s) time; it’s very valuable. There are other issues in Maine that he needs to pay attention to.”

State records indicate for fiscal years 2005, 2006 and 2007 – all while under the travel order – state government spent $4 million, $7.6 million and $8.7 million, respectively, on out-of-state travel, which included money from federal and grant sources, according to Sun Journal archives.

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