page_title: Fur farming
hierarchical_section_title: Fur farming
caption_attribution_description: A mink (Mustela vison) farm near w:St. Anna, Wisconsin, United States
context_page_description: Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur.
  Fur used from animals caught in the wild is not considered farmed fur, and is instead known as "wild fur".
  Most of the world’s farmed fur is produced by European farmers. There are 5,000 fur farms in the EU, all located across 22 countries; these areas of production collectively account for 50% of the global production of farmed fur.
  The EU accounts for 63% of global mink production and 70% of fox production. Denmark is the leading mink-producing country, accounting for approximately 28% of world production. Other major producers include China, the Netherlands, Russia, and the U.S. Finland is the largest United States supplier of fox pelts.
  The United States is a major exporter of fur skins. Major export markets include China, Russia, Canada, and the EU. Exports to Asia as a share of total exports grew from 22% in 1998 to 47% in 2002.
  China is the largest importer of fur pelts in the world and the largest exporter of finished fur products.
  Fur farming is banned in Austria, Croatia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Norway.
context_section_description: Fur farming is the practice of breeding or raising certain types of animals for their fur.
  Fur used from animals caught in the wild is not considered farmed fur, and is instead known as "wild fur".
  Most of the world’s farmed fur is produced by European farmers. There are 5,000 fur farms in the EU, all located across 22 countries; these areas of production collectively account for 50% of the global production of farmed fur.
  The EU accounts for 63% of global mink production and 70% of fox production. Denmark is the leading mink-producing country, accounting for approximately 28% of world production. Other major producers include China, the Netherlands, Russia, and the U.S. Finland is the largest United States supplier of fox pelts.
  The United States is a major exporter of fur skins. Major export markets include China, Russia, Canada, and the EU. Exports to Asia as a share of total exports grew from 22% in 1998 to 47% in 2002.
  China is the largest importer of fur pelts in the world and the largest exporter of finished fur products.
  Fur farming is banned in Austria, Croatia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic (effective in 2019) and Norway (effective from 1 February 2025). In Switzerland, the regulations for fur farming are very strict, with the result that there are no fur farms. Some other countries have a ban on fur farming of certain types of animals.
  Demand fell in the late 1980s and 1990s because of a number of factors, including the failure of designers to come up with exciting new lines and the efforts of animal rights campaigners. Since the turn of the millennium, however, sales worldwide have soared to record highs, fueled by radically new techniques for working with fur, and a sharp rise in disposable income in China and Russia. This growing demand has led to the development of extensive fur farming operations in China and Poland.
caption: A mink farm in the United States
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