Fur Farms In The United States

Mink and foxes are typically reported as the animals most commonly farmed for fur, but several other species are raised on fur farms around the world. Most of the animals on these farms are killed at less than 1 year old. Chinchillas are also farmed for their fur. 

There are no federal laws governing the killing of animals on fur farms in the U.S. Instead, the methods used here and around the world are largely chosen based on what will result in the least possible damage to the animals’ valuable pelts. 

Thus, unlike animals farmed for their meat, those on fur farms are not cut and exsanguinated. Instead, they are most commonly killed by gassing, cervical dislocation or electrocution.

Approximately 100 million animals are still farmed and killed for fur globally each year, according to most estimates. The use of fur trim to line ocats and boots has kept fur production alive. It is likely that millions of animals are also captured from the wild for the $22 billion industry.

There is no federal legislation outlawing fur farming in the United States, but progress on a smaller scale may signal the beginning of the end for this controversial industry. 

In October 2019, California became the first state in the nation to ban sales of newly made fur products, with the exception of those produced by Native American tribes.

There are an estimated 250 fur farms across 21 U.S. states. 

In 2021, the U.S. produced 1.44 million mink pelts, worth nearly $60 million. Of those pelts, 579,460 were contributed by Wisconsin, which continues to be the nation’s largest mink producer. It is followed by Utah, which accounted for 319,690 pelts.