CMBA, on behalf of its members, provides leadership in research, best farming practices, marketing, and promotion of the interests of the fur farming sector nationally and internationally. Its goal is to ensure the permanent prosperity of the Canadian mink farming industry.
CMBA values: Ethical animal treatment, Environmental Stewardship, Respect, and Innovation.
“I started working more with farmers, visiting farms, and actually seeing their relationship with the animals. I began to realize that these people [are] working with the animals because they have an appreciation for the animals and respect for the animals, and they actually enjoy working with the animals, because if they didn’t, I don’t think that they would do it. So when I was offered this job, I decided to take it.”
The value of Canadian fur exports topped $400 million in 2017, with mink produced on more than 200 farms across Canada. More than 60,000 Canadians work in various sectors of the fur trade, as trappers, fur farmers, craftspeople and other support sectors. The CMBA works with global auction houses to actively promote Canadian mink exports through trade fairs, technical workshops and fashion shows.
In Canada, farmers abide by industry standards outlined in the National Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Mink, to ensure that animals are well cared for and harvested humanely. This code was developed with the support of Agriculture Canada in collaboration with producers, veterinarians, animal welfare advocates, scientists, and government representatives. Scientific research findings are the basis for these standards.
Certifur Canada was a mink industry initiative undertaken in conjunction with the NFACC (National Farm Animal Care Council) to develop an on-farm animal care assessment program based on the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Mink. Certifur Canada was developed in collaboration with veterinarians, animal welfare representatives, researchers, government representatives and producers.
Putting preventive measures in place to keep animals healthy has been a long-standing and successful practice on Canadian farms. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in collaboration with producer organizations, provincial/territorial governments, and academia, develops national biosecurity standards, protocols and strategies designed to protect animal resources. The Mink Biosecurity Standard outlines practices that are beneficial to the health of farm-raised mink.
The FURMARK certification program is being developed to provide consumers with the reassurance they need to confidently buy fur. FURMARK is a world-class, comprehensive certification and traceability program that covers sustainability, animal welfare, and the dressing and the dyeing of fur, so when it comes to purchasing the product, you can be reassured that it meets recognized national and international standards.
