The Danish government announced on Friday, October 23, 2026, that it will end mink farming nationwide by August 2029. The decision follows the government's reversal of a previous plan to seek an exemption from European Union regulations that prohibit keeping mink.
Denmark was formerly the world's largest producer of mink pelts, but the industry has seen a decline following a mass cull during the coronavirus pandemic and shifting global trade patterns. The European Union added mink to its list of invasive species in 2025, a designation that generally prohibits the breeding or keeping of the animals. The current Danish coalition government, which was elected in June 2026, decided on Friday to drop its application for a special scheme that would have allowed the industry to continue.
The ban is scheduled to take effect on August 7, 2027, followed by a two-year transition period to phase out all remaining operations. Nature Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen stated that the decision was based on animal welfare, noting that businesses should make sense for society, the economy, and the animals. Social Democrat MP Brigitte Vind also cited animal welfare as the primary driver for the move.
The financial scale of the closure is estimated at approximately 14 million Danish krone (£1.56 million), according to a spokesperson for one of the governing coalition parties, though the final cost for closing the seven farms has not been officially determined and could be higher. For the individual farm owners, this represents a total termination of their specific agricultural sector by August 2029. The decision aligns Denmark with other European nations that have ended fur farming, leaving Finland as one of the few remaining producers in the region while production continues in markets like Poland and China.
The closure marks the final phase of a long-term decline in a once-dominant Danish industry. Market shifts had already occurred as various fashion brands and publications moved away from promoting fur products, despite a recent increase in celebrity use of vintage and faux fur. The Danish Mink Association, representing the breeders, has been approached for comment regarding the impact on their members. Following this announcement, the government will begin the legal and administrative process to implement the August 2027 start date for the ban.