Mink farming has been banned or is in decline across much of Europe, with remaining operations facing increasing scrutiny over welfare conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic exposure.
Mink farming welfare science consistently demonstrates that the species cannot achieve adequate welfare in conventional cage systems. The animals' ecological requirements - large territories, water access for swimming and prey catching, complex foraging behavior - are fundamentally incompatible with the economics of fur production. Policy progress has been significant in Europe, but mink farming continues at large scale in China, the United States, and other countries without welfare legislation. The phase-out of mink farming in progressive jurisdictions represents a welfare improvement affecting millions of animals annually and demonstrates that policy change can achieve welfare outcomes that voluntary industry improvement cannot.