Mink farmer given suspended sentence

In West Jutland, a mink farmer was convicted for illegally holding 126 minks during the COVID-19 pandemic, a violation of the prohibition against mink farming. The Western High Court ruled the farmer to receive two months’ conditional jail time and ordered his company to pay a fine of 100,000 kroner, confirming the April 2023 decision from the District Court in Holstebro. The Food Administration found the minks in ‘herd-like conditions’ during a check on December 15, 2021, which included the presence of feed and medication. Despite claiming he was merely caring for the minks for their owners, the court sided with the Food Administration’s vet who testified that the conditions were clearly commercial. All 126 minks were culled during the visit. The prohibition came after a mutated coronavirus strain was discovered, potentially impacting vaccine efficacy. A previous case saw another farmer sentenced for illegally keeping minks and foxes.