It was never clear that mink vaccine manufacturer United Vaccines was out of business, though they have been quiet for some time and one old location is apparently now a car dealership. However recently, United Vaccines announced they are promising a “re-introduction of products for the North American market is planned for Spring 2012.” Please see previous posts for more on United Vaccines, including information on a Verona, WI...

Information on mink vaccines so crucial to the survival of the US mink industry keep coming in… Not too long ago, Sandy Parker Reports mentioned a vaccine shortage was impacting US mink farmers (whose primary fear is a disease outbreak that can wipe out whole farms in a matter of weeks). Coalition Against Fur Farms is piecing together the vaccine puzzle, narrowing in on the two sole providers of mink vaccines and where their research is done. First, read this comment from the Fur Commission USA’s president Michael Whelan in the Winter 2011 issue of Fur Farm Letter: “In January I hope to join John Easley in Elkhorn NE to meet with the ASL vaccine producers…” ASL is believed to stand for American Scientific Laboratories, a company that was acquired by Schering-Plough Animal Health. Schering-Plough later merged with Merck. In August 2011 (www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/news/2011-08-26.aspx), Merck announced, “an expansion of a vaccine manufacturing unit at its Elkhorn Biotechnology Excellence Center.”...

According to the state of Wisconsin business entity records, a company called “HUVI, LLC” changed their name from United Vaccines in 2006. United Vaccines still exists, and it is not know what the significance of this information is and what relationship “HUVI” has to United Vaccines.. The address for “HUVI LLC” is listed as: 7597 E US HWY 36 AVON , IN 46123 In all likelihood, the “U” and “V” stand for United Vaccines. However what is at the above address is still unknown. Submit any information to whistleblower [at]...

The USDA requires that any registered research facility source their animals from a licensed dealer. This raises the question: where are the remaining mink research facilities obtaining their mink? There are only five entries recognized as fur farms on the list of licensed (Class A or Class B) dealers: Kokas Fur Barn, 3153 Prospect-Upper Sandusky, Prospect OH (unknown if this is still an active fur farm) Ruby Fur Farm: 2564 200th Street, New Sharon IA Fraser Fur Farm: 33327 Terrace Lake Road, Ronan MT Circle K Farm: 32996 Fox Ave, Sioux City IA Schultz Fur Farm: 13392 29 St N W, Arnegard ND However, of these locations, only one – Circle K Farm in Iowa – is known to hold mink. This leaves the question wide open. Anyone with more information, please send a report to whistleblower [at]...

United Vaccines has long been known to supply vaccines to the fur industry, a major weakness of which is disease. The only known location for United Vaccines is in Fitchburg, WI, outside Madison. Reports indicated there are no mink at that location (at least outdoors, an environment that would generally be required for the purpose of research to simulate conditions on a fur farm). Recently Coalition Against Fur Farms has learned of two additional United Vaccines locations, including one where research on live mink and ferrets is said to take place. The newly discovered United Vaccines locations are in these towns: *Verona, WI *Blue Mounds, WI The mink and ferrets are reportedly housed at the Verona location. The USDA confirms that in an April 2010 inspection, United Vaccines held 500 mink and 10 hamsters. A 2009 report put the number then at 388 mink. These are believed to be held at the Verona location. Currently the addresses for the the Verona and Blue Mounds locations are not known. Please submit any info to whistleblower [at] coalitionagainstfurfarms [dot] com....