Another Danish mink farm is restarting.
Økologisk NuSince the mink industry was shut down during the corona pandemic, more and more farms have appeared in the Danish mink sector. In a report from 2025, there were five registered mink farms. Most recently, Billund Municipality has added another to the list after granting an environmental permit for a mink farm near Stenderup-Korager to reopen production, reports Maskinbladet. Neighbors of the mink farm have been heard during the environmental permit process and have expressed concerns about large amounts of transportation to and from the farm, odor nuisances, and flies. The municipality has investigated the matter and assesses that the fur production will not cause significant odor nuisances for neighbors and surrounding residents. The municipality also does not believe that increased transportation to and from the mink farm will cause significant impact and nuisance for neighbors. The company Bonsai Harvest ApS, owned by Stig Balsby Jørgensen, is behind the reopening of a former operation. Phasing out in the EU While mink farming is now gaining ground again in Denmark, fur farming (including mink) is being phased out in most other European countries. In 2023, the EU listed 17 member countries with bans on fur farming, but since 2023, the list has grown to include Romania with a stop from 2027, and several countries outside the EU have also introduced bans or phased out production. Most recently, Sweden has also introduced a ban on mink farming, following a recommendation from a Swedish expert commission to ban fur farming for various reasons, primarily ethical, animal welfare, and environmental concerns. The ban in Sweden will take effect in July 2027 and will be incorporated into Swedish animal protection law. For Latvia and Lithuania, fur farming will be phased out by 2028 and 2027 respectively. Few Countries in the EU Production in Europe is now concentrated in just a few countries—especially Finland, Poland, and Denmark. Denmark was previously the world's largest producer of mink. Poland was also once one of the world's largest mink producers, and Finland and Poland remain the two largest mink producers in Europe. The Polish parliament approved in October 2025 a proposal to phase out fur animal farming by the end of 2033. The proposal includes a compensation scheme for farmers who close earlier.
Since the industry was shut down during the corona pandemic, more and more farms have appeared in the Danish mink industry.
According to a report from 2025, there were five registered mink farms.
Most recently, Billund Municipality has just added another one to the list, after the municipality granted an environmental permit for a mink farm near Stenderup-Korager to reopen production, writes Maskinbladet.
The neighbors of the mink farm have been heard in the processing of the environmental permit and have expressed concerns about large amounts of transport to and from the farm, odor nuisances, and flies.
The municipality has investigated the case and assesses that the fur production will not cause significant odor nuisances for neighbors and the surrounding residents.
The municipality also does not believe that increased transport to and from the mink farm will cause significant impact and nuisance for the neighbors.
It is the company Bonsai Harvest ApS, owned by Stig Balsby Jørgensen, that is behind the reopening of a former enterprise.
Under phase-out in the EU
While mink farming is now gaining ground again in Denmark, fur farming (including mink) is in the process of being phased out in most other European countries.
In 2023, the EU listed 17 EU countries with adopted bans on fur farming, but since 2023, the list has grown to include, among others, Romania with a stop from 2027, and also a number of countries outside the EU have introduced bans or have phased out production.
Most recently, Sweden has also introduced a ban on mink farming, following a recommendation from a Swedish expert commission to ban fur farming for several reasons, primarily ethical, animal welfare, and environmental.
The ban in Sweden will come into effect in July 2027 and will be incorporated into the Swedish Animal Protection Act.
For Latvia and Lithuania, fur farming will be phased out by 2028 and 2027 respectively.
Only a few countries in the EU
Production in Europe is now concentrated in just a few countries – especially Finland, Poland, and Denmark.
Denmark was previously the world's largest producer of mink. Poland has also previously been one of the world's largest mink producers, and Finland and Poland are still the two largest mink producers in Europe.
The Polish parliament approved in October 2025 a proposal to phase out fur animal farming by the end of 2033. The proposal includes a compensation scheme for breeders who close earlier.