In October, MEPs are due to start discussing a bill to ban the rearing of animals for fur. The matter will be dealt with by the parliamentary special committee for animal protection. Until now, the drafts have been lying in the so-called freezer, but committee chairwoman Dorota Niedziela announced that once the work on the legislation to ban the chaining of dogs is completed, MPs will also deal with the issue of fur farming.
In Poland, it is mainly American mink, which account for the vast majority of production, that are bred for fur. In addition to these, foxes, both silver and polar, and raccoons are also kept on farms. To a lesser extent, rabbits are kept. The breeding of other species, such as polecats and chinchillas, is currently only of marginal importance.
The ban on breeding for fur has many advantages. This type of activity has been criticised for years due to the suffering of animals kept in cramped cages, environmental pollution and nuisance to nearby villagers. Organisations also highlight the ethical dimension of the problem, mainly the unnecessary suffering of the animals, and the fact that mink escaping from the farms threaten native species. In addition, the industry is struggling with a decline in demand for fur and a generally very negative public perception.
Two separate bills have been submitted to the Sejm. The first, prepared by MP Małgorzata Tracz from the Civic Coalition and supported by MPs from the Left and Poland 2050, envisages a ban from 1 January 2029. The proposal leaves one exception for rabbit breeding. More than 120 parliamentarians have signed the draft. The document also envisages the possibility of claiming compensation for losses related to the decommissioning of farms. The amount of compensation would depend on the average revenue of recent years and the date of closure.
The second draft was submitted by Law and Justice, Confederation and Kukiz’15 MPs, and assumes a much longer transition period of 15 years, which would not end until 2039. However, the proposal does not provide for compensation payments. Critics point out that such a solution would in practice mean maintaining the industry for years to come and that there would be no support for smaller farms wishing to withdraw from farming.
The Polish People’s Party’s position is also among the key decisions. The vice-chairman of the committee, Jarosław Rzepa, admitted that a willingness to support the ban is maturing within the group. He noted, however, that the final decision will depend on the voice of industry representatives and the results of the parliamentary debate. The politician supports the idea of compensation, but believes that the five-year transitional period may be too short. In his view, a compromise could be to extend this to 10 years, which would make it easier for growers to adapt to the new conditions and find alternative sources of income.
The autumn debate in the Sejm will therefore not only be about the direction of the changes themselves, but also about the details of when the ban will be introduced and how those giving up breeding will be supported. The final shape of the bill will depend on the position of the various parliamentary clubs and the possibility of reaching a compromise.
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