Agriculture Ministry announced live mink not permitted on farms by April 2023
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has denied a request by mink farmers for interim relief that would suspend a prohibition on breeding the animals while their legal petition against the province proceeds.
They argued the government’s plan infringes on international and interprovincial trade, which are federal jurisdictions, and say the decision to phase out the industry was unreasonable. Ross says in her ruling the farmers have demonstrated the ban would cause irreparable harm to the industry. Joseph Williams, a third generation mink farmer and president of the BC Mink Producers Association, said in an interview Sunday the group is now focused on the judicial review, but even if the decision is overturned, the damage is irreversible.
The Agriculture Ministry said in an e-mailed statement that it accepts the court’s ruling and maintains that its plan to phase out mink farms in the province was based on the advice of public health experts.