The transition away from mink farming in Europe requires support for farmers to develop alternative livelihoods, raising welfare considerations for both animals and affected farming communities.
Mink farming transition welfare encompasses both the animal welfare benefits of ending a system incompatible with mink welfare and the human welfare implications for farming families and rural communities dependent on the industry. Well-designed transition programmes that offer financial compensation, retraining, and alternative livelihood support reduce human costs while enabling the welfare improvement for animals. The Dutch model — combining a disease-driven ban with substantial compensation and technical support — demonstrates that responsible transitions are possible. The welfare case for mink farming bans is strong; the ethical case for supporting affected farmers through the transition is equally clear.