While wild fur is still very important, up to two-thirds of Canadian fur is now produced on specialized farms. The farming of fur animals began on Prince Edward Island, about one hundred years ago. It was there that selective breeding was first successfully used to develop jet-black, and later (when new black dyes reduced their profitability) “silver” foxes.

Today, mink, foxes and chinchillas are raised on more than 1,000 small family farms across Canada. Mink is the most important farmed fur, with a production of almost two million pelts annually.

“Our production is still small compared with farms in Denmark and elsewhere in Europe where most of the world’s 40 million mink pelts are raised,” says Gary Hazlewood, Executive Director of Canada Mink Breeders Association. “But we are proud of the high quality, short-napped mink that Canada produces.”

Canadian farmers are also proud of the high welfare standards they provide for their animals. “Standards for nutrition, housing, veterinary care and euthanasia of mink and foxes are set out in Recommended Codes of Practice, developed by Agriculture Canada in close cooperation with producers, veterinarians and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies,” says Hazlewood.

From an environmental perspective, farmed mink are great recyclers: they are fed by-products from meat, fish and cheese production and, in addition to beautiful furs, provide organic fertilizers and fine oils for protecting leathers and for high-end cosmetics.

Whether farm raised or taken from the wild, furs are usually sold at auction and then sent for “dressing” (a specialized type of fur tanning), shearing, dyeing and other treatments before they are ready to be cut and sewn into luxurious jackets, coats, trims and accessories.

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