Representative Adriano Espaillat Introduces H.R. 3783 – the Mink VIRUS Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) has announced legislation to increase public safety and health standards by disincentivizing production at mink farms following confirmed outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, at nearly 18 fur farms across the United States.

“Mink farming poses a severe and urgent problem to public safety as numerous studies have shown the animals are highly susceptible to COVID-19 and can transmit a mutated form of the virus back to humans,” said Rep. Espaillat. “As communities around the nation are continuing to recover from the devastation brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak that include health implications and economic shutdowns, we must put forth new and improved safety protocols and disincentivize mink farms that hinder our progress to recover from the pandemic as well as combat outbreaks of other viruses in the future. My legislation aims to curb mink fur farming and will establish a new federal grant program to reimburse farmers the full value of their farms. We must do all that is possible to ensure protocols are in place that would circumvent and minimize potential future outbreaks of viruses known and unknown to keep our communities safe.”

“Mink are susceptible to deadly diseases, including SARS-CoV-2 and can transmit Covid-19 to each other, as well as the highly deadly strain of avian influenza. This poses a significant threat to humans and to other wildlife. Congress must act swiftly to protect human and animal health,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “We are grateful to Rep. Espaillat for leading congressional efforts to end the practice of mink farming, an industry that raises millions of mink in captivity for fur every year. We shouldn’t be trading public health for the vanity of a fur coat.”

“Farming mink for their fur is not only inhumane, but it also creates a significant risk for zoonotic disease transmission, as we’ve seen with outbreaks of COVID-19 and Avian Flu at mink farms,” said Animal Legal Defense Fund Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager Alicia Prygoski. “This is a dangerous industry that jeopardizes public health and safety due to the cruel conditions animals are kept in and the Mink VIRUS Act will help operators transition away from a practice that has the potential to fuel the next pandemic.”

“There is no safe way to operate a mink farm without creating a petri dish that could produce the next pandemic virus,” said Susan Millward, Executive Director of AWI. “Mink farms risk worsening the current pandemic and ushering in the next one, and we must listen to the scientists sounding the alarm on this. It’s time to phase out this declining industry and provide farmers with the resources needed to transition to something safer and more sustainable.”

“The threat to animal welfare and public safety posed by mink fur farming is not going to go away and each year that this unnecessary, cruel, and dangerous practice is allowed to continue, the more animals suffer, and the more likely new disease outbreaks become,” said Angela Grimes, CEO of Born Free USA. “Having endured the tragedy of COVID-19, surely it is time for humankind to take these threats seriously and do all we can to protect animals and humans alike from harm. No fur coat is worth the suffering caused by fur farming, and no fashion item can justify the risk of a new pandemic”.

Espaillat’s legislation is an important component of farm industry safety protocols after the COVID-19 pandemic. The risks associated with outbreak at mink farms comes at a time when lack of consumer demand, coupled with state bans and fur-free commitments from major fashion brands has significantly reduced mink production. According to a July 2021 USDA report, 2020 was the fur industry’s worst year on record, with the value of all mink pelts produced falling to $47.4 million, a 19% reduction from 2019 (previously the worst year). Ending mink fur farm production would be the responsible action to take as well as help farm owners successfully and responsibly transition away from an increasingly unprofitable business.

The Mink: VIRUS Act would:

* End the practice of mink fur farming and;
* Establish a grant program to reimburse mink farmers for the full market value of their farm.

Read the full legislation here.