MORGAN — Utah’s mink farming industry has reached a milestone, with pelt production dropping below 100,000 for the first time in over 50 years, according to new federal data.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported just 95,230 mink pelts produced in Utah during 2024 — a steep 90% decline from 2014, when the state produced more than 950,000.
Despite the dramatic drop, Utah remains the nation’s second-largest mink-producing state, trailing only Wisconsin. However, the number of active mink farms in Utah has dwindled to fewer than 10, down from 66 in 2007, the last year USDA reported individual farm operations. In 1970, the state had more than 300 mink farms.
Morgan County has historically been the hub of Utah’s mink farming industry, with Cache County and Salt Lake County also playing prominent roles.
Industry experts point to plummeting market prices, a surge in anti-fur sentiment, and legislative bans as driving factors in the industry’s collapse. Once a mainstay of rural economies, mink farming now faces growing opposition from fashion houses and retailers. Luxury brands like Prada, Gucci, and Versace have adopted fur-free policies, and department stores including Macy’s and Nordstrom have stopped selling fur products altogether. California has banned fur sales entirely.
“Fur farming is an industry in decline, in Utah and nationwide,” said Nick Atwood, an animal rights activist who monitors the sector. “The number of mink killed on U.S. farms has dropped dramatically since the collapse of the retail trade at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The decline marks a turning point for Utah agriculture, signaling the potential end of a once-profitable industry with deep roots in the state’s rural communities.