Animal Extremists Exploit COVID Fears to Propose Ban on U.S. Mink Farming, says Fur Commission USA

Connecticut Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has introduced a bill to amend the Lacey Act of 1981, HR 4310, to ban all "import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquirement, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce of mink, and for other purposes." 

Citing the non-existent public health threat of COVID spreading from isolated rural mink farms to the general population, the bill's advocates cherry-pick claims from last summer that have been repeatedly debunked. Recent efforts to ban mink in Oregon and Washington by these same special interest groups failed to convince lawmakers that there was any threat to public health—particularly as mink farmers have voluntarily coordinated with government agencies to protect their facilities since the beginning of the pandemic, and have worked hard to develop and produce a vaccine.

Dr. John Easley DVM, one of the world's leading authorities on mink health and disease states, "The mink industry has worked in close collaboration with the USDA and CDC over the last 12 months to address mink susceptibility to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Now that the Zoetis vaccine is being utilized on the farms, we expect all US mink to be immunized within the next few weeks." 

Officials from the CDC have clearly stated that "there is no evidence that mink play a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people." And with over 750,000 US mink having received their first inoculations, any miniscule risk to humans has been further reduced. 

Bill supporters continue to compare the unfortunate COVID outbreaks in Europe to those few farms that suffered infections in the United States. Conveniently omitted is the fact that Denmark's agriculture minister resigned after losing public trust based on his rash decision to destroy millions of mink without the proper scientific evidence or authority.  

"Fringe animal activists, in their efforts to ban fur, wool, silk, goose down, meat and dairy, continue to spread unfounded end-of-the-world propaganda. Not a single mink has tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the US since early January, yet they continue to fabricate a dangerous health crisis. I have confidence that our lawmakers will see through their agenda, to ban all animal products." said Michael Whelan, Executive Director of Fur Commission USA. 

The Fur Commission USA is a national, non-profit association representing U.S. mink farming families.