According the media reports, a new mink farm is cleared to open at 800 East and Hwy 91 in Preston, Idaho. Despite concerns from residents (including that animal rights activists will “let the minks out”), construction will likely move forward. Preston is just miles from the Utah border, and is home to two other fur farms. This is the proposed location for the farm: View Larger...

Recently, a leaked document from the Fur Commission USA hinted that there may be an undiscovered mink farm in Sublimity, Oregon. This “security alert” (posted below) covers a suspicious vehicle seen near a mink farm “outside Sublimity.” The only known fur farm near Sublimity is believed to be a fox farm. Leaving two possibilities: The known fur farm (Gardner fur farm) has been mis-reported as a fox farm, and is in fact a mink farm. Or, there is a second, as-yet undiscovered fur farm near Sublimity. As always, please send any reports on this or other undiscovered fur farms to whistleblower [at] coalitionagainstfurfarms.com “Fur Commission USA Security Alert – Oregon August 7, 2013 Tuesday afternoon two vehicles were seen scouting a mink farm outside Sublimity Oregon. One vehicle was a [vehicle description redacted] with [redacted] license plates [plate # redacted]. The second vehicle was a [description redacted]. The two vehicles were parked together down the road from the farm, then moved to the farm driveway. After about 5 minutes, the suspects were approached, and fled. In light of the recent mink farm attack in Idaho, any suspicious behavior near your farm needs to be reported to police and Fur Commission USA. If either of these vehicles is spotted near your farm, make it clear to the occupants that you are aware of their presence, and call FCUSA. Distributed by, Michael Whelan Fur Commission USA...

Recently, the US fur industry suffered a major blow when SC Johnson pulled all Kiwi mink oil from the shelves of retailers, and announced they would no longer be selling mink oil. This news put a spotlight on this little-known revenue stream for fur farmers. We are posting a document below which sheds some light onto the role of mink oil in the US fur industry. It was published by two Utah State University faculty members, and is titled: “An Initial Analysis of the Mink Oil Market: Preliminary Report to Morgan County, Utah.” A few highlights: “Emulon Company, located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is possibly the nation’s largest processor of mink oil.” “According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,’ most of the mink fat in that state is rendered and sold as a low grade oil used in livestock feed rations.” “Emulon indicated that the volume of their mink oil business has been reduced substantially in recent years as a result of the animal rights movement.Cosmetic companies are under pressure from animal welfare organizations to eliminate the use of animal products in cosmetic manufacture.” “Rosemary Collections, a company that manufactures and markets cosmetics, expressed a willingness to consider new vendors of refined mink oil.” “The Croda Company purchases highly refined mink oil and specializes in processing a triple refined mink oil product.” (The document was published in 1994, so some of the info may no longer be relevant.) Mink oil in the US fur industry – an...

The only known mink farm in Colorado was “discovered” this week in a newspaper article headlined “Moffat County mink farm relocation proposal causing a stink.” The article covered the plight of a previously unknown mink farm operating without a permit, and attempting to relocate to a property 15 miles away. As usually happens, neighbors at the farm’s present location had complained, and neighbors and its proposed location were also complaining. The uproar led to controversy over whether the county commissioner should approve the farm’s permit to relocate. The same week the article ran, the farm was raided by activists and the farm announced it would be forced to close. The owner of the property where the farm was to relocate told the media he would continue to apply for a fur farm permit, presumably to either open his own mink farm, or host another fur farm that might relocate there. Whatever the case, the county commissioner denied to property owner a permit, and no farm can legally operate on the property now. The addresses Previous farm reported to be closing: 622 Valley View Drive Rural Moffat County, 8 miles west of Craig, Colorado Farmer applying for a permit: 35591 North Hwy 13 Craig CO Investigation needed. Confirmation of this farm’s closure is needed. If you can corroborate the information in this post, please submit to whistleblower [at] coalitionagainstfurfarms [dot]...

A tipster reports that two mink farms were visited and found closed. The farms reported closed are: 37110 800th Street/County Road 12 Okabena, MN (mink farm) 7009 110th Avenue NW Byron, MN (mink farm) This is the anonymous report: “Last month, an activist visited the (former) mink farm at 37110 800th Street/County Road 12 in Okabena, Minnesota to assess the operational status. All former mink sheds were found dilapidated, and only filled with buckets and buckets of aluminum cans and glass bottles. It appears the Schmidt’s have traded in their profession killing mink, and are now professional recyclers/hoarders. Another farm was visited in Byron, Minnesota (7009 110th Avenue NW).  Though not as unkempt and dilapidated, this farm was visited and both sheds were inspected. No cages and no animals present. One now serves as a carport for the Hovey family car. However, both sheds are standing and unlike the farm in Okabena, not filled with trash.  This farm should be monitored in the future to ensure the Hovey’s never again imprison...