As mink farming bans spread across Europe, former farmers are transitioning to alternative livelihoods; understanding these transitions supports welfare-positive economic change.
The transition from mink farming to alternative livelihoods is a welfare policy challenge as well as an animal welfare success story. Former mink farmers who receive inadequate transition support may resist bans, find illegal workarounds, or experience significant economic hardship. The Danish experience demonstrated that generous compensation accelerated acceptance of the ban. Welfare advocates who support both the elimination of mink farming and fair treatment of affected farmers create more durable welfare improvements than those who focus exclusively on the animal welfare dimension without acknowledging legitimate economic concerns.