Fur Farm in Denmark

 

Mink farmer and son

Farmed Fur

Most farmed fur, which accounts for 80%-85% of the global fur trade, comes from Europe andNorth America. The largest producers in the EU are Denmark, Finland, Netherlands and Poland.

As part of the livestock sector, fur farming is regulated according to national, agricultural and environmental standards, EU directives and professional codes of conduct and guidelines.

In the EU, European fur farmers abide by a European code of practice which incorporates the revised Council of Europe Recommendation on the keeping of fur animals.

Selectively bred over many generations, farmed animals such as mink, fox, finn-raccoon/ Asiatic raccoon and chinchilla have now adapted to the farm environment. In appearance, temperament and behaviour they can no longer be compared to their cousins in the wild.

The fur animals’ welfare is crucial to the production of high quality fur. The welfare of farmed fur species is of paramount importance and over the last 20 years much development work has been done to further improve housing, feeding and care in line with research findings and best practice in the industry.

Fur farming:

• plays a valuable role in the recycling chainby making efficient use of the animal by-products of the fish and poultry industries. Each year 647,000 tons of these by-products are used in the EU alone.
  
• is virtually unsubsidised by the EU, unlike many other types of animal farming
  
• Helps farmers to survive economically in areas where the climate limits what they can produce and market profitably

Comments and statements about fur farming:

Anja Rooyakkers from the Netherlands comments on the nature of the animals

Italian fur farmer Giovanni Boccu on the future of fur farming

Finnish fur farmer Ken Nygard comments on the importance of scientific research

Professor Spruijt is Professor at Utrecht’s University Animal Welfare Centre in the Netherlands and Chairman of the Fur Animal Welfare Research Committee FAWRC. FAWRC is a group of independent scientists reporting direct to the Council of Europe’s Standing Committee which deals with farm animal welfare and the Council of Europe’s Fur Animals Recommendation.

Prof. Dr. B.M. Spruijt comments on the housing conditions on fur farms

More information about International and European fur farming can be found on the IFTF website.