Au Bon Canard: Inside a Minnesota Foie Gras Farm

An Animal Outlook investigator visited Au Bon Canard, a foie gras farm in Caledonia, Minnesota, and recorded what happens in its feeding barn. The footage shows ducks panting in pens with wire floors, one duck who could barely walk, and one dead on the barn floor. Foie gras is made by force-feeding ducks through a metal pipe placed down the throat. The footage shows this process - the pipe inserted, grain poured in, and the duck's head shaken while the pipe is still inside.

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Watch: Undercover Footage From Au Bon Canard Foie Gras Farm

What Our Investigator Documented Inside Au Bon Canard Foie Gras Farm

A metal pipe pushed down a duck's throat, grain poured in, and the duck's head shaken with the pipe still inside.
One dead duck on the barn floor. The farmer said he did not know how the animal died.
Many ducks panting, many with dirty, disheveled feathers, and feathers scattered across the floor. The farmer said the ducks were struggling with the heat.
One duck slumped over, breathing heavily, his head resting on the wire floor.
Ducks pressing themselves to the far end of the pen and climbing over one another to get away as the farmer came through.
One duck who could barely walk.

Every person who sees this is one more person who won’t look away.

A visit to the feeding barn

In the fall of 2026, our investigator went to Au Bon Canard and found the farmer feeding ducks in the barn. The farmer explained that many of the ducks were new to force-feeding and it was their first night in the barn where the birds would be force-fed for the next two weeks until their slaughter. The investigator recorded all of the footage in our video.

What Au Bon Canard tells customers VS what our cameras found

The farm’s website says it provides “humane living conditions for our birds throughout their lives.” Its photos show grassy fields and healthy birds. Our footage shows a muddy area outside and sick-looking birds on wire floors inside.

Where this foie gras has been sold

Au Bon Canard’s owner told our investigator that the farm’s foie gras has been on the menu at restaurants such as Demi and Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis. These restaurants can choose to never serve it again.

Investigation Photos

The farmer holds a duck's head and neck as feed runs through the funnel and metal pipe forced into their throat. In the video, he shakes the duck's head with the pipe still inside so more feed runs through.
A duck faces the camera as the farmer forcibly holds their head to prepare for force-feeding. Other ducks crowd together at the edge of the pen.
One duck lay dead on the barn floor among feathers. The farmer told our investigator he did not know what happened.
Ducks stand on the dirty wire floor of a pen in the barn.
Several ducks are panting with their beaks open. Many have dingy feathers and appear dirty.
Ducks stand in neighboring pens with their beaks open panting.
The farmer holds a duck's head and pushes a metal pipe down their throat. Grain is force-fed through the pipe from the funnel above.
A duck pants with their beak open on the wire floor of a pen in the barn. The farmer told our investigator many ducks were panting because of the heat inside the barn.
Feathers litter the floor of a barn at Au Bon Canard.
The farmer sits on a stool holding a duck by the throat against his legs next to a feeding machine and metal pipe. Other ducks press to the other end of the pen to avoid the farmer.
Several white ducks crowd together in a wire pen, with more ducks huddled together in the pen behind.
Ducks gather on muddy ground outside at Au Bon Canard, a stark contrast to the farm's marketing materials showing grassy fields.