Liquidation of the Fur industry is adopted

fur industry farmIllustration from a Norwegian fur farm. Mink. The feed is made from raw materials that normally do not have any other utility value. The mashed food consists mainly of hen, grain and fish. Photo: Alf Ove Hansen / Scanpix

Liquidation of the Fur industry is adopted

Leader of the Industry Committee, Geir Pollestad (Centre Party), characterises it as deeply tragic that the Norwegian Parliament decided to liquidate the fur industry last night.


It was decided with 101 against 68 votes to wind up the industry by February 1st, 2025. The decision was made after several hours of debate in the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget).

“I think that it’s deeply tragic. Furthermore, I think it is difficult to swallow that the majority of the Members of Parliament were willing to adopt something like that against an entire industry,” Pollestad tells the newspaper Nationen.

The dismantling of the fur animal industry is the big winner of the Liberals (Venstre) in the Granavolden government platform. The Christian Democrats (KrF), likewise, achieved a breakthrough for tightening of the Abortion Act, which was also adopted last night.

A joyful day

“This is a joyful day for the animals, we have been fighting for 17 years for better animal welfare. This is a little unreal, Member of Parliament, Guri Melby (Liberals), informs in a statement to NTB.

She adds that it was about time to wind the fur farming industry up:

“I’m, At the same time, disappointed with the Labour Party (Ap). They have a fur industry ban in their party program and have for years stated that they are fighting for the animals. Today they, however, joined the Centre Party (Sp) to vote against the ban. That is surprising and disappointing.

Labour reacts

Labour Party spokesperson Terje Aasland reacts to Melby’s statement.

“We are for the winding up of the fur industry, and we voted for the ban, but we voted against the title of the law because we believe it is weak by the government that they have not been able to legislate a right to a decent compensation scheme,” Aasland tells NTB.

He adds that this was something he commented before voting in a crowded commons on Thursday evening.

 

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Demands more compensation

The Centre Party also points out that the compensation, which the government has tabled, is not adequate. The reason being that the winding up will have major economic consequences for the fur industry.

The fur farmers have reacted vehemently to the proposal for compensation, which, has been leaked a number of times, latest on Thursday. the Norwegians Fur Farmers Association has stated that it is nowhere near adequate.

The fur industry estimates that liquidation will cost at least NOK 2.3 billion, a much higher estimate than the government has come up with.

The question of how much compensation farmers will receive may be reraised in the Norwegian Parliament. The Fur Farmers Association has announced that they will go to court in order to safeguard the interests of the industry.

Related articles about the fur industry

Lauvås reports Head of Animal Welfare
Fur farmers sue Norway over ban


© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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