Denmark plans to end mink farming by August 2029
Denmark plans to end mink farming by August 2029 after its coalition government dropped an effort to secure an exemption from an EU ban. The decision reverses the previous government’s approach and, according to Nature Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen, puts animal welfare ahead of preserving a long-standing business.
The EU ban takes effect on 7 August next year, followed by a two-year phase-out. Denmark once led global mink fur production, but the trade has declined; after a Covid outbreak prompted the culling of about 15 million mink, around 15,000 remain across seven farms. The cost of closing them has not been settled, though one estimate put it at 14 million Danish krone (£1.56m).
In short
- Denmark will phase out mink farming by August 2029.
- The government abandoned its bid for an EU exemption.
- About 15,000 mink remain on seven farms.
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The case for
Ending mink farming honours the EU’s animal-welfare rules and reflects the view that keeping animals for fur is no longer justified when the trade has sharply declined. A clear phase-out date also gives the remaining farms time to wind down while aligning Denmark with a policy that prioritises animal welfare over preserving an established industry.
The case against
The remaining farms represent livelihoods, expertise and a long-standing Danish business, and ending the trade removes those opportunities even as the sector has contracted. Critics could argue that Denmark should have pursued an exemption or other transition that better protects farmers, and that the closure costs and compensation should be settled fairly before the phase-out proceeds.
Explained simply
Denmark was once a leading producer of mink fur, with farms raising the animals for their pelts. The industry has since shrunk, particularly after a Covid outbreak led to the culling of about 15 million mink.
The European Union has agreed to prohibit mink farming, with the ban due to take effect on 7 August next year and a two-year phase-out period. Denmark’s government had sought an exemption, but has now accepted the EU timetable.
The change affects a small number of farms and the people who work in the trade. How much it will cost to close them, and what compensation may be available, has not yet been settled.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Denmark to ban mink farming in government U-turn”.