Possible clearance of infected mink farms

If follow-up research shows that the killing of healthy minks is unavoidable because of the importance of public health, agriculture minister Schouten can make this decision.

The results of the follow-up investigation into infected mink farms are expected next Friday (May 29). A large number of parties in the House of Representatives, including the ruling party D66, are of the opinion that the minister should no longer delay making this decision. They refer to the course of events with Q fever, when the precautionary principle was said to have been neglected.

Other than bird flu and Q fever
However, Schouten notes that, based on research information, there is so far insufficient ground for culling healthy minks. There are no indications that the coronavirus spreads through the air via minks, in contrast to highly contagious animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, swine fever, bird flu and also Q fever. Moreover, since the discovery of the first infected mink in April, isolation measures have been in place and mink caretakers on infected farms are only allowed to do their work in protective clothing.

The risk of corona infection from human to human is also many times greater than animal to human, emphasizes Schouten. Two cases of mink on humans have now been identified at mink farms in North Brabant. That corona turns out to be a zoonosis has not yet been demonstrated worldwide outside of China.

moral dilemma
Opposition parties in the House of Representatives, with the PvdD leading the way, believe that the government should resolutely apply the precautionary principle and immediately start clearing infected mink farms. In theory, that could be a maximum of 4 million animals, including the newly born puppies, who come into the world en masse at this time of year.

According to PvdD Member of Parliament Esther Ouwehand, killing these puppies is no worse than rearing them in wire mesh cages, merely to be gassed for the production of natural fur, which is why mink farming will be banned from 2024.

The opposition parties point out that scientific experts also regard the formation of a 'coronavirus reservoir' on infected mink farms as a great danger and that it is up to politicians to proceed with the culling of healthy animals. 

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.