Fur farmers do their best to prevent the coronavirus from entering Finnish farms

On 5 November, the Finnish Food Authority announced that it would begin intensified testing of coronavirus on mink farms in ten locations and on a total of 30 farms. FIFUR and its member companies support the authorities and believe that testing is important.

“At FIFUR's member farms, the situation is calm, and no animal infections have occurred on the farms. We will continue with the intensified fight against corona with all our might and all the time, says Marja Tiura, FIFUR's Managing director.

The fur industry has been systematically preparing, in collaboration with the authorities, for corona infections in animals since the spring of 2020, when the first human-mink infections were reported in the Netherlands and then in Denmark.

“The most important protective measures are related to occupational hygiene. First, you can only take care of animals if you are healthy. We have strict instructions on how to use protective equipment from obligatory use of face masks and reminders are sent to the farmers almost every day. In addition, we also have online training. Visitors are banned from the farms, i.e. only the necessary staff traffic is allowed, strict quarantine rules and testing for new and seasonal workers, states FIFUR's research director Jussi Peura and veterinarian Johanna Korpela about the precautionary measures.

FIFUR and the Finnish fur producers believe that the decision in Denmark to cull the country's mink population as a precautionary measure against coronavirus is sad, especially for Danish producer colleagues.

Additional information:

Marja Tiura, Managing director, +35850 511 3060, Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association,

Jussi Peura, Research Director, +358400 637 255, Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association,

Johanna Korpela, Veterinarian, +35850 464 8834, Finnish Fur Breeders' Association

Olli-Pekka Nissinen, Communications Director, +35850 306 2374, Finnish Fur Breeders' Association