Why We Say Maria Eagle's Private Member's Bill on Fur Farming Is "Ill-Considered and Emotive"

"... Ill-Considered"

Farming livestock for nothing but food is the apparent objective of the Private Member's Bill by Labour MP Maria Eagle. As a result, farming primarily for fur, wool or skin could become illegal in the United Kingdom. This is in direct contrast to the new European Union Directive on Farm Animal Welfare adopted last summer by the Council of Ministers and which identified fur animals along with cows, pigs and sheep as being part of the established farming industry.

If mink farming had been considered "cruel" and "unnecessary" the European Parliament would not have supported this initiative and the Council of Ministers would not have approved it.

In parallel, the Council of Europe has hammered out new and higher standards for fur farmed animals throughout Europe that set the benchmark for the next Millennium. Britain was a major contributor to this standard setting, which involved not just governments and special advisers, but animal welfare experts and farmers.

"... Emotive"

Mink domesticated for more than 80 generations are genetically suited to the farming environment and are now only distant cousins of those in the wild. Fur farm experts agree it would be disastrous for farmed mink to be treated as wild animals in respect of welfare legislation. Animal welfare is about the progressive improvement of standards, not about the ideology of "animal rights".

Why We Say Maria Eagle's Private Member's Bill on Fur Farming Is "Ill-Considered and Emotive"

It is unreasonable and disproportionate to destroy the livelihood of farmers and their families who take a responsible approach to the care of their animals. Science, not emotions, should take the lead in setting animal welfare standards. The EU recognises this. The European Commission this Spring is expected to take the first step towards establishing a specific Directive on the welfare of fur animals, including mink, in all Community States.

So what should happen?

Already the Dutch Government has endorsed mink farming by setting new, progressive standards that will form the basis of revised Council of Europe recommendations. Supporting this Private Member's Bill will only sideline Britain from contributing to this ongoing process of establishing common standards of animal welfare throughout Europe. British mink farmers have told the Government that they are ready and keen to invest in higher standards against a background of a secure future.

See also:

Top Market Research Firm Orders Retraction of Misleading Fur Claims British Fur Council press release, Mar. 31, 1999.

Battle of Britain : Can Farmers Count on Democracy? FCUSA press release, Mar. 6, 1999.

Notes:

• European Union Directive on Farm Animal Welfare 1998: The Directive lays down general provisions on the welfare of all farmed animals and harmonises standards for EU countries based on the "European Convention for the Protection of animals kept for farming purposes". The definition of farmed animals applies to "any animal kept for the production of food, wool, skin or fur".
• European Convention for the Protection of animals kept for farming purposes, 1991: The Convention contains welfare rules for supervision, housing, management, breeding and slaughter. New scientific evidence when adopted by the Council of Europe is enshrined in Recommendations on minimum standards. It can then be applied in member countries if it is considered to further improve existing animal welfare standards. The UK government is one of 40 countries represented on the Council.
  

For more information contact: The British Fur Council, Brookstone House, 6 Elthorne Road, London N19 4AG; info@britishfurcouncil.com. Tel: 0171 281 2487. Fax: 0171 281 1374. a/h pager no. 07654 303935. Press contact: Jan Brown.

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