This is a photo the employees of United Vaccines (the mink vaccine / research company based in Madison, Wisconsin) took of themselves. These individuals work every day to benefit the fur...

The following fur farm entries were updated / added to www.finalnail.com recently. These entries are either 1) Newly discovered farms, or 2) Have new info added (name of farm, updated address, etc). Warner & Sons 125 S 350 E Burley, ID 83318 Phone: (208) 678-8642 Contact: Gary Warner Notes: Located southeast corner of S 350 E and E. Highway 81. Farm may be closed (investigation needed). Durmoulin Mink Farm 16N393 Walker Road Hampshire, IL 60140 Phone: (847) 683-3886 Fax: (847) 683-0420 Contact: Bill Dumoulin Notes: Mink farm. Located on Walker Road between Allen Road and Highway 72. Farm also has pigs and other animals. Don Conrad 1109 190th Street Keota, IA 52248 Phone: (641) 636-3858 Notes: Mink farm. Located at southeast corner of 190th Street and Birch Avenue. Litke Mink Ranch 13472 Airport Road Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: (320) 632-6367 Contact: Gerald Litke Notes: Mink farm. Located north of the Little Falls-Morrison County Airport; east side of road. *new name (two farms with same name)/owner: J & G Mink Ranch 11240 N 6000 W Highland, UT 84003 Phone: (801) 756-6276 Contact: Gordon Williams Notes: Located north of Highland Highway/Highway 92. Confirmed open (summer 2009). Blonquist-Black Mink Farm 2 N 200 E Coalville, UT 84017 Phone: (435) 336-5595 Contact: Afton W. Blonquist, Gena & Glen Black Notes: Mink farm. Located at west edge of Summit County Fairgrounds. Confirmed open (summer 2009). K&S Furs 7814 N 8730 W Lehi, UT 84043 Phone: (801) 768-8573 Fax: (801) 785-1545 Contact: Kenny Jensen Notes: Mink farm. Confirmed open (summer 2009). Willes Fur Farm 7878 W 8170 N Lehi, UT 84043 Phone: (801) 768-0402 Contact: Michael Dean Willes Notes: Mink farm. Located at southwest corner of W 8170 N and S 300 E. Confirmed open (summer 2009). Seth Dawson 84 W 200 N Morgan, UT 84050 Phone: (801) 829-6680 Notes: Mink farm. Located behind Goldenwest Credit Union. Confirmed open (summer 2009). Rocky Top Fur Farm 5626 N State Road 32 Peoa, UT 84061 Contact: Gregory & Susan White Notes: Mink farm. Located on hill above road. King George Furrier 1160 N. Main Street Lewiston, UT 84320 Phone: (435) 258-2653 Contact: George Sialaris Notes: Mink farm. Farm reported closed (investigation...

The following article is in the new issue of the Fur Farm Letter, a controlled-circulation newsletter for fur farmers that is not intended to be viewed by the public. In this article, the Fur Commission USA mocks a member of the community of Nicktown, PA, who has an opposition to a neighboring fur farm. In true ignorant, depraved country-mentality fashion, the Fur Commission refers to the neighbor as Ayatollah (a xenophobic reference to the Islamic religion). This article openly celebrates a ruse the farmer pulled on local authorities: The farmer apparently triumphed over them by citing a document authored by fur farmers which establishes a totally self-serving “standard” that mink farms are to follow. This would be like a marijuana farmer citing Cypress Hill lyrics to the SWAT team that raids his house. The flippant article reads, in full: “Certification Saves a Mink Farm in PA Steve and Doris Kuzar noticed a new neighbor had moved in next door to the ranch. It immediately became apparent that this neighbor, who we will call Ayatollah, did not like a mink farm there and started a campaign of harassment to have it closed down. First she contacted the EPA and the state and complained. After inspectors visited, they determined that the Kuzar’s were complying with all environmental regulations and were following the waste management plan. Not to be deterred, Ayatollah then complained to the county, who agreed with the state’s assessment and commended the Kuzars on their efforts to minimize the impact of their farm on the surrounding areas. Finally the neighbor contacted the township authorities, who after inspecting the ranch, told the Kuzar’s that they would need to enclose their sheds. Steve and Doris knew that the expense of artificial lighting, ventilation and the re-construction of the sheds would kill them, so they showed the inspectors their Fur Commission Certification award and the FCUSA Standard Guidelines for the Operations of Mink Farms in the Untied States; specifically the sections that addressed “natural ventilation and lighting”, “mink sheds are normally open sided” and “closure of sheds should be considered only in extreme conditions”. The inspectors were unaware of the certification process, were duly impressed, agreed that...

Coalition Against Fur Farms obtains new issue internal fur industry newsletter Fur Farm Letter CAFF has obtained copies of the Fur Farm Letter, published by the Fur Commission USA. We will be publishing numerous excerpts from the newsletters over the coming weeks. For now, we are posting this article by mink veterinarian John Easley. We chose this article as the first to be released because it is very relevant to previous posts this week regarding information CAFF is uncovering about mink vaccine research. Several important things are gleamed from this article: *The fact that the Fur Commission USA lobbied for this meeting with Merck further emphasizes how significant it’s vaccine is. *The research facility outside Omaha (see posts from earlier this week) is” Merck Animal Health’s main research and development and production facility for the majority of their vaccines that they distribute worldwide”. *Quote: “The Merck representatives continually reinforced that the mink vaccine production is very important to them.” *Quote: “Merck  has only has one source for their test animals”. As covered in a post earlier this week, this is likely to be Steve Krage / Circle K Farms in Sioux City, Iowa (near Omaha). *There is a vaccine shortage, which is of concern to US fur farmers. *Notice this quote: “Merck has done a lot of work investigating why they are having the problem and have made changes with the way they manage their test mink population at the farm and in the lab”. This indicates the mink research is being done in an experimental farm setting. It is not known if this is on-site, at the Sioux City farm, or elsewhere. *United Vaccines in Wisconsin “hopes” to have a “4-way vaccine available for the North American market in about 18 months.” Here is the article, in full: Fur Commission meets with Merck Vaccine Producers Fur Farm Letter, Spring 2012 By Dr. John Easley DVM, Fur Commission USA Director of Research After attempting to arrange a meeting for months, this February we were able to organize a meeting with Merck Animal Health for mink industry representatives. Kate Roesler, FCUSA Board Member from the state of Washington representing the US producers, Peter Peters from...

Following up on the last post about a possible new fox farm opening in Minnesota, the following is another newly discovered fox farm in Minnesota, added recently to www.finalnail.com: Wayne A. Sieverding 36414 130th Street Dundee, MN 56131 Phone: (507) 425-3205 Contact: Wayne & MaryAnn Sieverding Notes: Fox farm. Located at the end of 130th Street, on West Graham...

The following is an ad from the November 2010 issue of Trapper & Predator Caller. It appears to be from someone intending to open a fox farm. If he succeeded, this farm is likely to be open now. “Wanted. Fur farm equipment: J-hopper pellet feeders, meat grinder, mixer, fur cleaning drum. 218-688-0796. gmosbeck@gvtel.com” The person indicated they are looking for fox tongs, feed carts, pens, etc. A search for the email  address shows the poster of the ad is a sheep farmer. Gene & Suzie Mosbeck 18284 110th Street NW Thief River Falls, MN 56701 (218) 964-5360 This person may have already opened the fox farm. An investigation is needed. Send any info to whistleblower [at]...

The following are all Mink Farmer’s Research Foundation grants for 2010 / 2011. This is not new information, and has been posted on www.finalnail.com for some time. However it is worth revisiting this to get a look at the current landscape of fur industry research:  2010/11 Mink Farmers Research Foundation grants to the Research Committee (Mink Farmers Research Foundation) 2010/11 grants – $25,000 grant to Dr. Bernhard Benkel, Canadian Mink Breeders Association – $9,000 grant to Dr. Austin E. Larsen, Fur Breeders Agricultural Co-op (Sandy, UT) – $10,000 grant to Dr. Kristi Rouvinen-Watt, Nova Scotia Agricultural College (Truro, NS) – $6,000 grant to Dr. Jack Rose, Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID) – $20,000 grant to Dr. Steve Bursian, Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI) – $10,000 grant to Dr. Robert L. Stephon, Scintilla Development Company (Bath, PA) – $10,000 grant to Dr. John Gorham, Washington State University (Pullman, WA) – $1,500 grant to Dr. Hugh Hildebrandt, Medford Veterinary Clinic (Medford,...

Coalition Against Fur Farms is posting an article which reveals the importance of vaccines to the survival of the US fur industry. This article appears to reference the mink vaccine manufactured by Merck (see previous articles on this site). CAFF is intent on unveiling the complete vaccine supplier facet of the fur farm industry. For some context, please see this week’s other posts on United Vaccines and Merck’s research facility outside Omaha, Nebraska. This is the article, from Sandy Parker Reports, SEPT. 19, 2011: “A VACCINE SHORTAGE IS PUTTING MINK AT RISK ON SOME NORTH AMERICAN RANCHES BECAUSE OF PRODUCTION PROBLEMS AT THE CONTINENT’S ONLY SUPPLIER. The vaccine is a protection against such diseases as distemper, virus enteritis, botulism and bacterial pneumonia and usually administered before the mink are 10 weeks old, while they are more easily handled. The source, believed to be a subsidiary of Merck, has had to delay delivery because some batches have not tested out. It was estimated that nearly all U.S. ranches got their supplies, but only about 80% of the Canadian farms received...