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...

Major pharmaceutical supplier Merck has announced it will no longer be producing vaccines for the fur industry. The company had previously conducted its mink research at a facility west of Omaha. This leaves only one vaccine supplier remaining, and it is a significant one: United Vaccines in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. There is some evidence United Vaccines operates an additional research facility in neighboring Verona. Vaccines can be the difference between a thriving fur farm and a bankrupt one, and this company is considered very significant in the sustenance of the US fur industry. United Vaccines 2919 Commerce Park Dr Fitchburg, WI...

The photo below was obtained from an owner of the Black & Blue Farms mink farm in Stayton, Oregon. It is not 100% confirmed that this photos was taken inside the farm, and the possibility exists that it was taken at another Oregon fur farm. However there are no known fox farms in Oregon, and the likelihood is that the Black & Blue fur farm in Stayton also imprisons foxes. Please send any corroborating info to whistleblower [at] coalitionagainstfurfarms [dot] com. Note: Co-owner Lyndia Basl also owns/operates a local convenience store called Detroit Market (100 Detroit Ave. N., Detroit, Oregon 97342).  ...

Coalition Against Fur Farms and Final Nail have posted addresses of over 100 newly discovered farms over the past 2 years. Few of the addresses are conclusively confirmed as being operational. CAFF relies on various sources to confirm farms, including tips submitted by readers. Recently, media reports have confirmed the following farms to be open. One thing to note: These farms were confirmed open in the contexts of having their animals release by activists, an action which could possibly lead to the farm’s closure. These farms were confirmed open at the time of the visits: Moyle Mink Ranch 571 E. Highway 81 Burley, ID 83318 East Fork Mink Ranch 1875 Nelson Road Morris, IL 60450 George Rykola 557 Colver Road Ebensburg, PA 1593 Ovard Mink Farm 1715 SW Hoytsville Road Wanship, UT 84017 Don Conrad 1109 190th Street Keota, IA 52248 Myhre Mink Ranch 75562 State Highway 16 Grand Meadow, MN 55936 Lion Farms 2707 Hoaglin Road Van Wert, OH...

An Iowa media source has reported that the Drewelow & Sons fur farm in New Hampton, Iowa has closed. This report is to be taken with extreme skepticism because of its source: The owner of the farm himself. Fur farmers in the past have been known to report their farms as being closed, in hopes to remove themselves from the radar of animal rights activists. If you have any further information on this farm, please send to whistleblower [at] coalitionagainstfurfarms [dot] com. The farm in question is: Drewelow & Sons 2477 239th Street New Hampton, IA  50659 Contact: Lennie Drewelow Notes: Mink farm. 239th St. is off Odessa Avenue, north of 240th Street/County Road...

Coalition Against Fur Farms has received information that the following fur farm in Darby, Montana has ceased operations: Behling Fox Farm 3523 McIntosh Lane Darby, MT 59829