National Agricultural Statistics Service Report on Mink Production, 2000

Lv Gn 3  (7-00)

Mink

National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C.

Released July 20, 2000, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Mink" call Tom Kruchten at (202) 690-4870, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Pelt Production Down 4 Percent Mink pelt production in the United States in 1999 totaled 2.81 million pelts, down 4 percent from 1998. Wisconsin, the major mink producing State, produced 731,700 pelts.

By color class, the number of pelts as a percent of the total U.S. production follows: Standard - 37.9 percent; Mahogany - 25.6 percent; Gunmetal - 16.3 percent; Ranch Wild - 6.1 percent; Demi-buff - 3.8 percent. The remaining color classes accounted for 10.3 percent.

Value of Pelt Production Up 30 Percent Mink pelts produced during the 1999 crop year were valued at $94.8 million dollars, up 30 percent from $72.9 million a year ago. The average price per pelt for the 1999 crop year was $33.70, up from $24.80 in 1998.

Females Bred Down 2 Percent Female mink bred to produce kits in 2000 totaled 660,400, down 2 percent from the previous year.

Percent of total females bred to produce kits in 2000 by color class are: Standard - 38.5 percent; Mahogany - 23.7 percent; Gunmetal - 17.4 percent; Sapphire - 5.0 percent; Ranch Wild - 4.8 percent;. The remaining color classes accounted for 10.6 percent.

Number Of Mink Farms Down 8 Percent There were 404 mink farms producing pelts in 1999, down 8 percent from a year ago. Leading States were Utah with 110 farms, Wisconsin with 82 farms and Minnesota with 40.

Fox There were 27 mink farms which also raised fox in 1999, down from 31 the previous year.

Mink: Pelts Produced and Females Bred, by Color Class, United States, 1998-00 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Pelts Produced : Females Bred to Produce Kits Color :--------------------------------------------------------- Class : 1998 2/ : 1999 : 1998 2/ : 1999 2/ : 2000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 : Standard : 1,191 1,067 304 266 254 Ranch Wild : 175 172 43 39 32 Demi-buff : 116 106 36 26 23 Pastel : 34 41 9 10 13 Pale Brown : 1 1 0 0 1 Sapphire : 137 141 40 37 33 Gunmetal : 453 459 127 113 115 Mahogany : 728 719 152 155 157 Pearl : 23 32 4 9 11 Lavender-hope : 6 9 2 2 2 Pink : 2 3 1 1 1 Violet-type : 26 9 5 5 2 White : 44 52 11 11 17 Misc. & Unclassified : 5 2 1 2 0 : US : 2,938 2,813 733 673 660 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mink: Farms, Pelts Produced, Price, and Value, United States, 1979-99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Mink : Pelts : Average Marketing : Value of Year : Farms : Produced : Price : Mink Pelts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number 1,000 Dollars Million Dollars : 1979 : 1,105 3,394 41.10 139.5 1980 : 1,122 3,501 35.30 123.6 1981 : 3/ 3/ 32.20 1982 : 1,116 4,085 28.90 118.1 1983 : 1,098 4,137 29.90 123.7 1984 : 1,084 4,220 30.80 130.0 1985 : 1,042 4,171 28.00 116.8 1986 : 989 4,096 41.30 170.0 1987 : 1,027 4,122 43.00 177.2 1988 : 1,027 4,453 32.30 143.8 1989 : 940 4,604 20.40 93.9 1990 : 771 3,366 25.50 85.8 1991 : 683 3,268 21.90 71.6 1992 : 571 2,900 23.80 69.0 1993 : 523 2,620 34.10 89.3 1994 : 484 2,623 33.00 86.6 1995 : 478 2,803 53.10 148.8 1996 : 449 2,783 35.30 98.2 1997 : 452 2,993 33.10 99.1 1998 2/ : 438 2,938 24.80 72.9 1999 4/ : 404 2,813 33.70 94.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Sum of color class may not add to U.S. total due to rounding. 2/ Revised based on additional information. 3/ Data not available for 1981. 4/ Data are preliminary.

Mink: Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms, Major States and United States, 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Stan- : Ranch : Demi- : Pas- : Pale : Sap- : Gun : Mahog- States: dard : Wild :Buff 1/ : tel : Brown : phire : Metal : any -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of Pelts : ID : 40,600 42,300 * * 19,100 28,200 49,600 IL : 43,200 * IA : 61,500 * * * 17,000 8,100 MI : 13,900 * * 1,200 2,700 * 20,000 MN : 72,200 58,000 * 2,100 1,700 31,100 97,700 NY : 13,000 200 4,200 100 8,700 OH : 31,000 * * * * 27,700 OR : 87,600 * * 15,800 133,000 * PA : * * * * 12,400 22,900 * SD : * * * * 37,200 UT : 312,000 * 62,000 * * 40,000 27,000 219,000 WA : 57,700 * * 59,300 * WI : 397,100 14,100 2,500 9,500 27,500 118,000 194,300 : Oth : 61,500 60,100 51,100 20,600 600 13,400 13,800 65,700 Sts : : US :1,191,300 174,500 115,600 33,600 600 136,800 453,400 728,000 : :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : :Misc. & : : Number : Pearl :Lavender: Pink : Violet : White :Unclass-: Total : of : : Hope : : Type : : ified : Pelts : Farms :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of Pelts : ID : * * * 192,600 22 IL : * * * 49,600 10 IA : * * * 123,900 19 MI : 800 * 4,400 46,000 13 MN : * * 268,200 44 NY : 4,200 30,500 10 OH : 70,400 12 OR : * 263,000 30 PA : * * * * 67,500 11 SD : * 93,800 6 UT : * * 675,000 115 WA : 142,600 20 WI : * * 11,900 20,700 * 800,500 94 : Oth : 22,300 5,500 1,900 9,400 18,400 4,700 114,500 32 Sts : : US : 23,100 5,500 1,900 25,600 43,500 4,700 2,938,100 438 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or others. * Included in other States to avoid disclosing individual operations.

Mink: Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms, Major States and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Stan- : Ranch : Demi- : Pas- : Pale : Sap- : Gun : Mahog- States: dard : Wild :Buff 1/ : tel : Brown : phire : Metal : any -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of Pelts : ID : 39,000 38,800 * * 27,800 31,700 76,700 IL : 42,700 * * IA : 76,300 * * 9,000 15,900 9,000 MI : 16,500 * 2,000 2,300 0 23,500 MN : 43,300 60,400 5,900 2,500 1,800 37,300 107,600 NY : * * * * * OH : 31,000 * * 2,200 * 20,300 OR : 89,000 * * 14,000 147,000 * PA : * * * * 13,200 26,100 * SD : * * 12,700 2,000 46,500 UT : 284,000 11,000 58,000 * 32,000 23,000 211,000 WA : 45,000 * * 67,900 WI : 341,300 * * 10,200 * 35,400 99,900 187,700 : Oth : Sts : 59,300 61,400 29,700 23,800 1,200 3,000 10,100 36,800 : US :1,067,400 171,600 106,300 40,500 1,200 140,700 458,900 719,100 : :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : :Misc. & : : Number : Pearl :Lavender: Pink : Violet : White :Unclass-: Total : of : : Hope : : Type : : ified : Pelts : Farms :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of Pelts : ID : * * 228,500 26 IL : * * * * 49,300 8 IA : * * 128,100 16 MI : * * * 51,000 13 MN : * * * 262,700 40 NY : 5,900 8 OH : * 59,100 12 OR : * 270,000 30 PA : * * * 74,000 11 SD : 12,000 99,700 5 UT : * * 650,000 110 WA : 129,200 18 WI : * * * * 30,800 731,700 82 : Oth : Sts : 20,300 9,000 3,300 8,600 21,400 1,700 73,600 25 : US : 32,300 9,000 3,300 8,600 52,200 1,700 2,812,800 404 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or others. * Included in other States to avoid disclosing individual operations.

Female Mink Bred to Produce Kits: Number by Color Class, Major States and United States, 1999 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Stan- : Ranch : Demi- : Pas- : Pale : Sap- : Gun : Mahog- States: dard : Wild :Buff 1/ : tel : Brown : phire : Metal : any -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 7,700 9,100 * * 5,600 6,600 13,900 IL : 11,300 * * IA : 20,300 * 1,600 * 4,900 3,600 MI : 3,900 * * 600 1,000 * 4,700 MN : 10,900 13,900 * 700 700 7,100 22,500 NY : 1,500 300 100 100 OH : 8,800 * * * * 5,900 OR : 18,400 * * 2,900 33,000 * PA : * * * * 3,700 6,000 * SD : * * * * 7,800 UT : 70,400 * 15,400 * 9,800 8,500 45,700 WA : 11,800 * * 15,100 WI : 79,500 3,400 800 2,800 7,300 28,400 35,000 : Oth : 21,000 12,900 8,400 5,800 200 5,800 12,900 15,900 Sts : : US :265,500 39,300 26,200 10,200 200 36,900 112,600 155,000 : :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : :Misc. & : : Pearl :Lavender : Pink : Violet : White :Unclass-: Total : : Hope : : Type : : ified : :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : * * 53,600 IL : * * 12,800 IA : * * * 37,900 MI : * * 1,300 15,500 MN : * 57,100 NY : 2,000 OH : * 20,100 OR : 58,000 PA : * * * * 18,900 SD : * 22,800 UT : * * * 156,000 WA : 29,600 WI : * * 2,000 5,300 1,000 166,200 : Oth : Sts : 9,400 2,000 700 3,200 4,300 600 22,200 : US : 9,400 2,000 700 5,200 10,900 1,600 672,700 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or others. * Included in other States to avoid disclosing individual operations.

Female Mink Bred to Produce Kits: Number by Color Class, Major States and United States, 2000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Stan- : Ranch : Demi- : Pas- : Pale : Sap- : Gun : Mahog- States: dard : Wild :Buff 1/ : tel : Brown : phire : Metal : any -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 9,300 4,700 * * 6,900 7,500 19,700 IL : 10,600 * * * IA : 23,400 * * * 5,200 3,500 MI : 2,300 * 400 800 3,900 MN : 11,000 11,800 * 600 500 9,100 27,700 NY : * * * OH : 8,500 1,300 * 1,400 * 6,200 OR : 17,700 * * 3,900 31,500 * PA : * * * * 4,000 5,300 * SD : * * 3,100 * 8,600 UT : 67,900 * 12,900 * 5,700 12,600 51,100 WA : 9,000 * * 14,900 WI : 78,600 * 200 3,700 * 7,800 25,700 30,100 : Oth : Sts : 15,900 13,900 6,900 7,800 700 2,000 3,200 6,000 : US :254,200 31,700 23,100 12,500 700 33,000 115,000 156,800 : :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : :Misc. & : : Pearl :Lavender : Pink : Violet : White :Unclass-: Total : : Hope : : Type : : ified : :------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : * * 51,700 IL : * * 12,800 IA : * * 37,800 MI : * * 8,800 MN : * 62,900 NY : 2,000 OH : 18,000 OR : * 57,000 PA : * * * * 18,300 SD : * 21,800 UT : * * * 163,000 WA : 26,600 WI : * * * * 10,200 162,500 : Oth : Sts : 11,200 2,100 500 2,300 6,700 400 17,200 : US : 11,200 2,100 500 2,300 16,900 400 660,400 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or others. * Included in other States to avoid disclosing individual operations.

Survey Procedures: Data for mink production are collected from all known producers. State Statistical Offices use known sources of producers to update their lists. All known mink producers are mailed a questionnaire and given adequate time to respond by mail. Those that do not respond by mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person. Care is exercised to ensure that all operations are accounted for. Major auction houses which handle virtually all producer sales provide mink pelt price data in July. Prices are collected at the point of first sale by producers, before marketing costs are deducted.

Reliability: Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the estimates from reported data. All data are analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and to trends from similar operations. Data for inaccessible operations are accounted for through the expansion of the reported data or by imputation based on individual historical data. Survey data are subject to non-sampling errors such as omissions and mistakes in reporting and in processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized by carefully reviewing all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. The next "Mink" report will be released in July 2001.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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National Agricultural Statistics Service on Mink Production, 2001

Lv Gn 3  (7-01)




Mink


National Agricultural Statistics Service
USDA
Washington, D.C.


Released July 19, 2001, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For information on "Mink" call Tom Kruchten at (202) 690-4870, office
hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.




              Pelt Production Down 5 Percent

Mink pelt production in the United States in 2000 totaled 2.67 million
pelts, down 5 percent from 1999.  Wisconsin, the major mink producing
State, produced 680,100 pelts.

By color class, the number of pelts as a percent of the total U.S.
production follows: Standard - 35.7 percent; Mahogany - 26.6 percent;
Gunmetal - 17.3 percent; Ranch Wild - 5.1 percent; Sapphire - 5.0
percent.  The remaining color classes accounted for 10.3 percent.

          Value of Pelt Production Down 4 Percent

Mink pelts produced during the 2000 crop year were valued at $90.6
million dollars, down 4 percent from $94.8 million a year ago. The
average price per pelt for the 2000 crop year was $34.00, up from $33.70
in 1999.

                Females Bred Down 5 Percent

Female mink bred to produce kits in 2001 totaled 630,200, down 5 percent
from the previous year.

Percent of total females bred to produce kits in 2001 by color class are:
Standard - 39.5 percent; Mahogany - 22.2 percent;  Gunmetal - 17.6
percent; Sapphire - 5.6 percent;.  The remaining color classes accounted
for 15.1 percent.

           Number Of Mink Farms Down 12 Percent

There were 351 mink farms producing pelts in 2000, down 12 percent from
a year ago. Leading States were Utah with 90 farms, Wisconsin with 70
farms and Minnesota with 37.

                            Fox

There were 24 mink farms which also raised fox in 2000, down from 27 the
previous year.




             Mink:  Pelts Produced and Females Bred, by Color Class,
                            United States, 1999-01 1/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      :    Pelts Produced    :   Females Bred to Produce Kits
         Color        :---------------------------------------------------------
         Class        :  1999 2/  :   2000   : 1999 2/  :  2000 2/  :   2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      :                          1,000
                      :
Standard              :  1,067.3      951.3     265.5       257.1       248.8
Ranch Wild            :    171.6      136.9      39.3        32.0        22.7
Demi-buff 1/          :    106.3       95.6      26.2        24.7        17.7
Pastel                :     40.5       45.8      10.2        12.5        11.3
Pale Brown            :      1.2        7.5       0.2         0.7         2.5
Sapphire              :    141.7      133.8      36.9        33.4        35.1
Gunmetal              :    458.9      461.5     112.6       113.0       111.0
Mahogany              :    719.0      707.9     155.0       158.8       139.9
Pearl                 :     32.3       43.9       9.4        11.4        12.8
Lavender-hope         :      7.9        4.5       2.0         1.5         1.5
Pink                  :      3.3        0.7       0.7         0.5         0.9
Violet-type           :      8.6        8.5       5.2         2.0         3.2
White                 :     52.2       66.5      10.9        16.9        22.5
Misc. & Unclassified  :      1.7        1.7       1.6         0.4         0.3
                      :
US                    :  2,812.5    2,666.1     675.7       664.9       630.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




                 Mink:  Farms, Pelts Produced, Price, and Value,
                             United States, 1982-00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         :    Mink    :  Pelts   :   Average Marketing   :       Value of
   Year  :   Farms    : Produced :         Price         :      Mink Pelts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         :   Number      1,000            Dollars            Million Dollars
         :
1982     :   1,116       4,085             28.90                  118.1
1983     :   1,098       4,137             29.90                  123.7
1984     :   1,084       4,220             30.80                  130.0
1985     :   1,042       4,171             28.00                  116.8
1986     :     989       4,096             41.30                  170.0
1987     :   1,027       4,122             43.00                  177.2
1988     :   1,027       4,453             32.30                  143.8
1989     :     940       4,604             20.40                   93.9
1990     :     771       3,366             25.50                   85.8
1991     :     683       3,268             21.90                   71.6
1992     :     571       2,900             23.80                   69.0
1993     :     523       2,620             34.10                   89.3
1994     :     484       2,623             33.00                   86.6
1995     :     478       2,803             53.10                  148.8
1996     :     449       2,783             35.30                   98.2
1997     :     452       2,993             33.10                   99.1
1998     :     438       2,938             24.80                   72.9
1999 2/  :     398       2,813             33.70                   94.8
2000 3/  :     351       2,666             34.00                   90.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Sum of color class may not add to U.S. total due to rounding.
2/  Revised based on additional information.
3/  Data are preliminary.




            Mink:  Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms,
                      Major States and United States, 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :  Stan-  : Ranch  : Demi-  :  Pas-  :  Pale  :  Sap-  :  Gun   : Mahog-
 States:  dard   :  Wild  :Buff 1/ :  tel   : Brown  : phire  : Metal  :  any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                            Number of Pelts
       :
ID     :   39,000  38,800                              27,800    31,700  76,700
IL     :   42,700
IA     :   76,300                                       9,000    15,900   9,000
MI     :   16,500                     2,000             2,300            23,500
MN     :   43,300  60,400    5,900    2,500             1,800    37,300 107,600
NY     :
OH     :   31,000                                       3,300            20,300
OR     :   89,000                                      14,000   147,000
PA     :                                               13,200    26,100
SD     :                    12,700    2,000                              46,500
UT     :  284,000  11,000   58,000                     32,000    23,000 211,000
WA     :   45,000                                                67,900
WI     :  341,300                    10,200            35,400    99,900 187,700
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/:   59,200  61,400   29,700   23,800    1,200    2,900    10,100  36,700
       :
US     :1,067,300 171,600  106,300   40,500    1,200  141,700   458,900 719,000
       :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :         :        :        :        :        :Misc. & :        : Number
       :  Pearl  :Lavender:  Pink  : Violet : White  :Unclass-: Total  :   of
       :         :  Hope  :        :  Type  :        : ified  : Pelts  : Farms
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :   ---------------------- Number of Pelts ---------------------  Number
       :
ID     :                                                        228,500      27
IL     :                                                         49,300       8
IA     :                                                        128,100      16
MI     :                                                         51,000      12
MN     :                                                        262,700      40
NY     :                                                          5,900       8
OH     :                                                         59,100       9
OR     :                                                        270,000      30
PA     :                                                         74,000      11
SD     :   12,000                                                99,700       5
UT     :                                                        650,000     110
WA     :                                                        129,200      18
WI     :                                      30,800            731,700      82
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/:   20,300   7,900    3,300    8,600   21,400    1,700    73,300      22
       :
US     :   32,300   7,900    3,300    8,600   52,200    1,700 2,812,500     398
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or
    others.
2/  "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which
    were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published
    color classes may not add to the State total.




            Mink:  Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms,
                      Major States and United States, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :  Stan-  : Ranch  : Demi-  :  Pas-  :  Pale  :  Sap-  :  Gun   : Mahog-
 States:  dard   :  Wild  :Buff 1/ :  tel   : Brown  : phire  : Metal  :  any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                            Number of Pelts
       :
ID     :  43,600   21,000                              26,700    21,500  92,500
IL     :  37,000                                                          3,300
IA     :  80,600                                       16,000     6,700  13,300
MI     :
MN     :  42,900   46,300             1,500                      34,800 136,700
NY     :
OH     :  27,800                                        6,700            19,900
OR     :  80,000                                       17,000   151,000
PA     :                                               10,600    22,200
SD     :
UT     : 221,000            51,000                     20,000    34,000 220,000
WA     :  37,300                                                 57,400
WI     : 316,000             2,200   14,500            32,100   122,600 137,000
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/:  65,100   69,600   42,400   29,800    7,500    4,700    11,300  85,200
       :
US     : 951,300  136,900   95,600   45,800    7,500  133,800   461,500 707,900
       :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :         :        :        :        :        :Misc. & :        : Number
       :  Pearl  :Lavender:  Pink  : Violet : White  :Unclass-: Total  :   of
       :         :  Hope  :        :  Type  :        : ified  : Pelts  : Farms
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :  ---------------------- Number of Pelts ----------------------  Number
       :
ID     :                                                        222,400      26
IL     :                                       4,000             45,600       7
IA     :                                                        136,800      17
MI     :                                                         42,500      11
MN     :                                                        284,800      37
NY     :                                                          6,200       7
OH     :                                                         58,500      10
OR     :                                                        268,000      27
PA     :                                                         68,100      10
SD     :                                                         91,000       5
UT     :                                                        590,000      90
WA     :                                                        112,700      16
WI     :                                      38,500            680,100      70
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/:  43,900    4,500      700    8,500   24,000    1,700    59,400      18
       :
US     :  43,900    4,500      700    8,500   66,500    1,700 2,666,100     351
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or
    others.
2/  "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which
    were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published
    color classes may not add to the State total.




            Female Mink Bred to Produce Kits:  Number by Color Class,
                      Major States and United States, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       : Stan-  : Ranch  : Demi-  :  Pas-   :  Pale  :  Sap-  :  Gun   : Mahog-
 States:  dard  :  Wild  :Buff 1/ :   tel   : Brown  : phire  : Metal  :  any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                                 Number
       :
ID     : 10,300    5,000                                6,900    5,500   21,700
IL     : 10,600
IA     : 23,400                                                  5,200    3,500
MI     :  4,300                        400                800             3,900
MN     : 11,000   11,800               600                500    9,100   27,700
NY     :
OH     :  8,500    1,300                                1,800             6,200
OR     : 17,700                                         3,900   31,500
PA     :                                                4,000    5,300
SD     :                    3,100                                         8,600
UT     : 67,900            12,900                       5,700   12,600   51,100
WA     :  9,000                                                 14,900
WI     : 78,600               200    3,700              7,800   25,700   30,100
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/: 15,800   13,900    8,500    7,800       700    2,000    3,200    6,000
       :
US     :257,100   32,000   24,700   12,500       700   33,400  113,000  158,800
       :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :        :        :        :         :        :Misc. & :
       : Pearl  :Lavender:  Pink  : Violet  : White  :Unclass-:      Total
       :        :  Hope  :        :  Type   :        : ified  :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       : --------------------------- Number --------------------------
       :
ID     :                                                        54,000
IL     :                                                        12,800
IA     :                                                        37,800
MI     :                                                        11,000
MN     :                                                        62,900
NY     :                                                         2,000
OH     :                                                        18,100
OR     :                                                        57,000
PA     :                                                        18,300
SD     :                                                        21,800
UT     :                                                       163,000
WA     :                                                        26,600
WI     :                                      10,200           162,500
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/: 11,400    1,500      500    2,000     6,700      400   17,100
       :
US     : 11,400    1,500      500    2,000    16,900      400  664,900
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or
    others.
2/  "Other States" include some females from the above listed States which
    were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published
    color classes may not add to the State total.




            Female Mink Bred to Produce Kits:  Number by Color Class,
                      Major States and United States, 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       : Stan-  : Ranch  : Demi-  :  Pas-   :  Pale  :  Sap-  :  Gun   : Mahog-
 States:  dard  :  Wild  :Buff 1/ :   tel   : Brown  : phire  : Metal  :  any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                                 Number
       :
ID     :  9,700    4,100                                6,500    6,600   14,000
IL     : 10,700
IA     : 25,100                                         4,100    3,000    2,300
MI     :
MN     : 11,400    5,900               300                600   12,300   26,800
NY     :
OH     :  9,300                                         2,400             6,300
OR     : 18,000                                         4,600   31,000
PA     :                                                3,100    5,400
SD     :
UT     : 59,200            12,300                       5,600    8,500   46,800
WA     :  9,600    2,800                                        12,700
WI     : 77,400                      3,200              7,100   27,900   25,000
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/: 18,400    9,900    5,400    7,800     2,500    1,100    3,600   18,700
       :
US     :248,800   22,700   17,700   11,300     2,500   35,100  111,000  139,900
       :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :        :        :        :         :        :Misc. & :
       : Pearl  :Lavender:  Pink  : Violet  : White  :Unclass-:      Total
       :        :  Hope  :        :  Type   :        : ified  :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       : --------------------------- Number --------------------------
       :
ID     :                                                        42,900
IL     :                                                        12,900
IA     :                                                        40,200
MI     :                                                         9,600
MN     :                                                        62,300
NY     :                                                         2,000
OH     :                                                        19,500
OR     :                                                        57,000
PA     :                                                        18,500
SD     :                                                        17,500
UT     :                                                       145,000
WA     :                                                        25,100
WI     :                             1,500    13,700           161,000
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/: 12,800    1,500      900    1,700     8,800      300   16,700
       :
US     : 12,800    1,500      900    3,200    22,500      300  630,200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or
    others.
2/  "Other States" include some females from the above listed States which
    were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published
    color classes may not add to the State total.




Survey Procedures:  Data for mink production are collected from all known
producers.  State Statistical Offices use known sources of producers to
update their lists.  All known mink producers are mailed a questionnaire
and given adequate time to respond by mail.  Those that do not respond by
mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person. Care is exercised
to ensure that all operations are accounted for. Major auction houses
which handle virtually all producer sales provide mink pelt price data in
July.  Prices are collected at the point of first sale by producers,
before marketing costs are deducted.

Reliability:  Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the
estimates from reported data.  All data are analyzed for unusual values.
Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile
and to trends from similar operations.  Data for inaccessible operations
are accounted for through the expansion of the reported data or by
imputation based on individual historical data.  Survey data are subject
to non-sampling errors such as omissions and mistakes in reporting and in
processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they
are minimized by carefully reviewing all reported data for consistency
and reasonableness.


The next "Mink" report will be released July 2002.




The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national
origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status.  (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.)  Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at
202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue,
SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

                     ACCESS TO REPORTS!!



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National Agricultural Statistics Service Report on Mink Production, 2003

Lv Gn 3  (7-03)




Mink


National Agricultural Statistics Service
USDA
Washington, D.C.


Released July 15, 2003, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For information on "Mink" call Tom Kruchten at (202) 690-4870, office
hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.




               Pelt Production Up 1 Percent

Mink pelt production in the United States in 2002 totaled 2.60 million
pelts, up 1 percent from 2001.  Wisconsin, the largest mink producing
State, produced 685,000 pelts.

Color class definitions have changed for 2002 pelt production.  By color
class, the number of pelts as a percent of the total U.S. production in
2002 follows: Black - 37.1 percent; Mahogany - 21.7 percent; Blue Iris -
19.8 percent; Sapphire - 7.0 percent; Demi/Wild - 5.8 percent.  The
remaining color classes accounted for 8.6 percent.

          Value of Pelt Production Down 7 Percent

Mink pelts produced during the 2002 crop year were valued at $79.6
million dollars, down 7 percent from $85.9 million a year ago. The
average price per pelt for the 2002 crop year was $30.60, down from
$33.50 in 2001.

                Females Bred Down 4 Percent

Female mink bred to produce kits in 2003 totaled 601,000, down 4 percent
from the previous year.

Percent of total females bred to produce kits in 2003 by color class are:
Black - 42.4 percent; Mahogany - 19.7 percent; Blue Iris - 16.8 percent;
Sapphire - 6.4 percent; Demi/Wild - 5.2 percent.  The remaining color
classes accounted for 9.5 percent.

            Number of Mink Farms Down 3 Percent

There were 318 mink farms producing pelts in 2002, down 3 percent from a
year ago. Leading States were Utah with 80 farms, Wisconsin with 69 farms
and Minnesota with 33.

                            Fox

There were 20 mink farms which also raised fox in 2002, down from 21 the
previous year.



          Mink:  Pelts Produced and Females Bred, by Color Class,
                          United States, 2002-03
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      :   Pelts Produced   : Females Bred to Produce Kits
         Color        :---------------------------------------------------
         Class        :        2002        :             2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      :                       1,000
                      :
Black                 :        965.1                    255.0
Demi/Wild             :        149.6                     31.3
Pastel                :         32.5                      8.2
Sapphire              :        182.0                     38.4
Blue Iris             :        514.8                    100.8
Mahogany              :        563.5                    118.1
Pearl                 :         88.0                     20.1
Lavender              :          9.8                      1.1
Violet                :         11.5                      7.1
White                 :         75.1                     19.3
                      :
Misc. & Unclassified  :          8.5                      1.6
                      :
US                    :      2,600.4                    601.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------




            Mink:  Pelts Produced and Females Bred, by Color Class,
                            United States, 2001-2002
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      :  Pelts Produced  :    Females Bred to Produce Kits
         Color        :--------------------------------------------------------
         Class        :     2001 1/      :       2001       :     2002 1/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      :                         1,000
                      :
Standard              :       947.4             245.2              237.0
Ranch Wild            :       100.7              22.8               25.5
Demi-buff             :       129.0              18.2               15.0
Pastel                :        41.8              11.3                8.8
Pale Brown            :         1.9               2.6                0.6
Sapphire              :       108.3              35.1               38.5
Gunmetal              :       472.0             111.0              120.5
Mahogany              :       580.0             141.9              125.3
Pearl                 :        73.9              13.0               18.1
Lavender-hope         :         3.5               1.5                2.0
Pink                  :         0.8               0.9                0.2
Violet-type           :        21.4               3.2                8.8
White                 :        73.7              22.5               17.4
Misc. & Unclassified  :        10.9               0.3                5.2
                      :
US 2/                 :     2,565.3             629.5              622.9
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------




                Mink:  Farms, Pelts Produced, Price, and Value,
                             United States, 1983-02
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :      Mink      :    Pelts     : Average Marketing :     Value of
  Year :     Farms      :   Produced   :       Price       :    Mink Pelts
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :     Number          1,000            Dollars         Million Dollars
       :
1983   :     1,098           4,137             29.90               123.7
1984   :     1,084           4,220             30.80               130.0
1985   :     1,042           4,171             28.00               116.8
1986   :       989           4,096             41.30               170.0
1987   :     1,027           4,122             43.00               177.2
1988   :     1,027           4,453             32.30               143.8
1989   :       940           4,604             20.40                93.9
1990   :       771           3,366             25.50                85.8
1991   :       683           3,268             21.90                71.6
1992   :       571           2,900             23.80                69.0
1993   :       523           2,620             34.10                89.3
1994   :       484           2,623             33.00                86.6
1995   :       478           2,803             53.10               148.8
1996   :       449           2,783             35.30                98.2
1997   :       452           2,993             33.10                99.1
1998   :       438           2,938             24.80                72.9
1999   :       398           2,813             33.70                94.8
2000   :       350           2,666             34.00                90.6
2001 1/:       329           2,565             33.50                85.9
2002   :       318           2,600             30.60                79.6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Revised based on additional information.
2/  Sum of color class may not add to U.S. total due to rounding.




            Mink:  Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms,
                      Major States and United States, 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :  Stan-  : Ranch  : Demi-  :  Pas-  :  Pale  :  Sap-  :  Gun   : Mahog-
 States:  dard   :  Wild  :Buff 1/ :  tel   : Brown  : phire  : Metal  :  any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                                 Number
       :
ID     :  41,000                                       14,000    22,100  46,600
IL     :  41,100                                                          3,300
IA     :  55,000                                                 10,300   9,300
MI     :
MN     :  49,900   26,800   60,700    2,500             2,000    56,100  79,300
NY     :
OH     :  29,500                                        5,600            18,400
OR     :  79,400                                       16,900   145,100
PA     :                                               16,800    19,700
SD     :
UT     : 205,000            60,000                     15,500    40,000 233,500
WA     :  35,500                                                 63,100
WI     : 327,000                     10,600            25,600   108,500 123,000
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/:  84,000   73,900    8,300   28,700    1,900   11,900     7,100  66,600
       :
US     : 947,400  100,700  129,000   41,800    1,900  108,300   472,000 580,000
       :
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :         :        :        :        :        :Misc. & :        : Number
       :  Pearl  :Lavender:  Pink  : Violet : White  :Unclass-: Total  :   of
       :         :  Hope  :        :  Type  :        : ified  : Pelts  : Farms
       :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                                 Number
       :
ID     :                                                        151,200      28
IL     :   2,700                               4,000             51,600       7
IA     :                                                        105,900      13
MI     :                                                         54,000      11
MN     :                                                        286,500      36
NY     :                                                          5,500       7
OH     :                                                         56,500       8
OR     :                                                        251,000      26
PA     :                                                         74,900       9
SD     :                                                         78,100       4
UT     :                                                        610,000      80
WA     :                                                        113,100      15
WI     :                                      52,600            672,000      69
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/:  71,200    3,500      800   21,400   17,100   10,900    55,000      16
       :
US     :  73,900    3,500      800   21,400   73,700   10,900 2,565,300     329
       :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or
    others.
2/  "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which
    were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published
    color classes may not add to the State total.




            Mink:  Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms,
                      Major States and United States, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        :         :  Demi-  :          :   Sap-   :  Blue   : Mahog-  :
 States :  Black  :  Wild   :  Pastel  :  phire   :  Iris   :   any   :  Pearl
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        :                                Number
        :
ID      :  68,100                         47,400      28,200   52,300
IL      :  41,900
IA      :  60,500                         13,200       8,300   12,400
MI      :
MN      :  41,900    46,100     1,500      3,300      80,200   80,600
NY      :
OH      :  30,300                         10,900               16,500
OR      :  83,400                         25,400     143,300
PA      :   6,900                         11,100      14,100
SD      :
UT      : 200,000                         24,000      39,000  231,000
WA      :  42,600    18,500                           48,900
WI      : 341,000    17,500    14,200     37,300     141,000   97,900
        :
Oth     :
 Sts 1/ :  48,500    67,500    16,800      9,400      11,800   72,800   88,000
        :
US 2/   : 965,100   149,600    32,500    182,000     514,800  563,500   88,000
        :
        :-------------------------------------------------------------:
        :         :         :          : Misc. &  :         : Number  :
        :Lavender : Violet  :  White   : Unclass- :  Total  :   of    :
        :         :         :          :  ified   :  Pelts  :  Farms  :
        :-------------------------------------------------------------:
        :   ------------------------- Number ------------------------
        :
ID      :                                            228,900       25
IL      :                                             53,500        7
IA      :                                            111,600       16
MI      :                                             57,000        9
MN      :                                            267,000       33
NY      :                                              4,800        5
OH      :                                             63,300        8
OR      :                                            270,200       25
PA      :                                             53,600        8
SD      :                                             78,200        4
UT      :   4,000                                    575,000       80
WA      :                                            110,000       15
WI      :                      32,100                685,000       69
        :
Oth     :
 Sts 1/ :   5,800    11,500    43,000      8,500      42,300       14
        :
US 2/   :   9,800    11,500    75,100      8,500   2,600,400      318
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which were
    not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published color
    classes may not add to the State total.
2/  New color classes starting for 2002 pelts.  Reference page 8.




            Female Mink Bred to Produce Kits:  Number by Color Class,
                      Major States and United States, 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       : Stan-  : Ranch  : Demi-  :  Pas-   :  Pale  :  Sap-  :  Gun   : Mahog-
 States:  dard  :  Wild  :Buff 1/ :   tel   : Brown  : phire  : Metal  :  any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                                 Number
       :
ID     : 15,200                                         9,700    7,800   12,300
IL     : 11,400
IA     : 16,000                                                  4,300    1,500
MI     :
MN     : 10,400    8,000               800                600   13,800   15,300
NY     :
OH     :  8,500                                                           5,500
OR     : 17,000                                         5,000   30,400
PA     :                                                2,300    5,400
SD     :
UT     : 56,200             6,900                       5,500   10,000   57,200
WA     :  9,300                                                 14,500
WI     : 79,100                      4,000              8,700   32,000   17,000
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/: 13,900   17,500    8,100    4,000       600    6,700    2,300   16,500
       :
US     :237,000   25,500   15,000    8,800       600   38,500  120,500  125,300
       :
       :---------------------------------------------------------------:
       :        :        :        :         :        :Misc. & :        :
       : Pearl  :Lavender:  Pink  : Violet  : White  :Unclass-: Total  :
       :        :  Hope  :        :  Type   :        : ified  :        :
       :---------------------------------------------------------------:
       : --------------------------- Number --------------------------
       :
ID     :                                                        52,200
IL     :                                                        13,800
IA     :                                                        30,900
MI     :                                                        12,700
MN     :                               700                      59,600
NY     :                                                         1,500
OH     :                                                        18,600
OR     :                                                        54,000
PA     :                                                        14,600
SD     :                                                        17,700
UT     :                                                       149,000
WA     :                                                        28,900
WI     :                             1,500    10,400           158,000
       :
Oth    :
 Sts 2/: 18,100    2,000      200    6,600     7,000    5,200   11,400
       :
US     : 18,100    2,000      200    8,800    17,400    5,200  622,900
       :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Demi-buff includes crossed of dark brown, violet, pastel, standard, pearl or
    others.
2/  "Other States" include some females from the above listed States which
    were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published
    color classes may not add to the State total.




            Female Mink Bred to Produced Kits: Number by Color Class,
                      Major States and United States, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        :           :   Demi-   :           :   Sap-    :   Blue    :  Mahog-
 States :   Black   :   Wild    :  Pastel   :   phire   :   Iris    :    any
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        :                                Number
        :
ID      :   15,200                              5,500        4,000      12,000
IL      :   11,800
IA      :   18,400                              4,000        2,800         600
MI      :
MN      :    9,600      8,900         300         800       14,500      15,300
NY      :
OH      :    8,100                              1,900                    5,500
OR      :   19,800                              5,200       27,600
PA      :    1,900                              3,600        5,400
SD      :
UT      :   56,200                              6,100        6,000      48,300
WA      :    7,700      4,300                               10,700         200
WI      :   94,700      5,400       3,200       9,000       26,500      21,000
        :
Oth     :
 Sts 1/ :   11,600     12,700       4,700       2,300        3,300      15,200
        :
US 2/   :  255,000     31,300       8,200      38,400      100,800     118,100
        :
        :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
        :           :           :           :           :  Misc. &  :
        :   Pearl   : Lavender  :  Violet   :   White   : Unclass-  :   Total
        :           :           :           :           :   ified   :
        :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
        :                                Number
        :
ID      :                                                               41,100
IL      :                                                               14,300
IA      :                                                               32,400
MI      :                                                               11,600
MN      :                                       4,300                   54,600
NY      :                                                                1,300
OH      :                                                               17,400
OR      :                                                               56,500
PA      :                                                               14,200
SD      :                                                               18,100
UT      :                                                              135,000
WA      :                                                               22,900
WI      :                                       8,500                  170,000
        :
Oth     :
 Sts 1/ :   20,100      1,100       7,100       6,500        1,600      11,600
        :
US 2/   :   20,100      1,100       7,100      19,300        1,600     601,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which were
    not published to avoid disclosing individual operations.  Published color
    classes may not add to the State total.
2/  New color classes starting for female mink bred in 2003.  Reference page
    8.




Mink Color Classes, beginning with pelt production in 2002 and female
mink bred in 2003:

Black - formerly Standard, includes Pure Dark.

Demi/Wild - includes Dark Brown, Ranch Wild, Demi-buff.

Pastel - includes Dawn, Orchid.

Sapphire - includes Pale Brown.

Blue Iris - formerly Gunmetal, includes Aleutian.

Mahogany

Pearl

Lavender - formerly Lavender Hope.

Violet - includes Violet type, Cameo, Winterblue, Glacial.

White

Miscellaneous - Includes Pink.


Survey Procedures:  Data for mink production are collected from all known
producers.  State Statistical Offices use known sources of producers to
update their lists.  All known mink producers are mailed a questionnaire
and given adequate time to respond by mail.  Those that do not respond by
mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person. Care is exercised
to ensure that all operations are accounted for. Major auction houses
which handle producer sales provide mink pelt price data in July.  Prices
are collected at the point of first sale by producers, before marketing
costs are deducted.

Reliability:  Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the
estimates from reported data.  All data are analyzed for unusual values.
Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile
and to trends from similar operations.  Data for inaccessible operations
are accounted for through the expansion of the reported data or by
imputation based on individual historical data.  Survey data are subject
to non-sampling errors such as omissions and mistakes in reporting and in
processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they
are minimized by carefully reviewing all reported data for consistency
and reasonableness.


The next "Mink" report will be released in July 2004.




The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national
origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status.  (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.)  Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at
202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD).  USDA
is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

                    ACCESS TO REPORTS!!



For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data
products, and services:

                       INTERNET ACCESS

All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet.
For access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at:
http:/www.usda.gov/nass/.  Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and
then Reports Calendar or Publications and then Search, by Title or
Subject.

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National Agricultural Statistics Service Report on Mink Production, 2004

Lv Gn 3  (7-04)

Mink

National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C.

Released July 15, 2004, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on Mink call Tom Kruchten at (202) 690-4870, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Pelt Production Down 2 Percent Mink pelt production in the United States in 2003 totaled 2.55 million pelts, down 2 percent from 2002. Wisconsin, the largest mink producing State, produced 706,000 pelts.

By color class, the number of pelts as a percent of the total U.S. production in 2003 follows: Black at 40.2 percent; Mahogany at 21.5 percent; Blue Iris at 16.1 percent; Demi/Wild at 6.4 percent; Sapphire at 5.8 percent. The remaining color classes accounted for 10.0 percent.

Value of Pelt Production Up 28 Percent Mink pelts produced during the 2003 crop year were valued at $102 million dollars, up 28 percent from $79.8 million a year ago. The average price per pelt for the 2003 crop year was $40.10, up from $30.60 in 2002.

Females Bred Up Slightly Female mink bred to produce kits in 2004 totaled 604,800, up slightly from the previous year.

Percent of total females bred to produce kits in 2004 by color class are: Black at 45.9 percent; Mahogany at 21.0 percent; Blue Iris at 11.9 percent; Demi/Wild at 5.8 percent; Sapphire at 5.0 percent. The remaining color classes accounted for 10.4 percent.

Number of Mink Farms Down 5 Percent There were 307 mink farms producing pelts in 2003, down 5 percent from a year ago. Leading States were Utah with 80 farms, Wisconsin with 69 farms and Minnesota with 31.

Fox There were 18 mink farms which also raised fox in 2003, down from 20 the previous year.

Mink: Pelts Produced and Females Bred, by Color Class, United States, 2002-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Pelts Produced :Females Bred to Produce Kits Color :----------------------------------------------------------- Class : 2002 : 2003 : 2003 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 : Black : 966.8 1,025.7 255.4 277.5 Demi-Wild : 150.3 164.4 31.4 34.8 Pastel : 32.5 29.5 8.3 9.3 Sapphire : 182.2 146.7 38.4 30.2 Blue Iris : 516.4 409.5 101.4 71.7 Mahogany : 566.2 548.3 118.9 127.1 Pearl : 88.0 74.9 20.1 16.8 Lavender : 9.8 4.2 1.3 1.5 Violet : 11.5 18.7 7.1 6.1 White : 75.1 117.0 19.4 26.3 Misc. & Unclassified: 8.5 10.1 1.7 3.5 : US 1/ : 2,607.3 2,549.0 603.4 604.8 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mink: Farms, Pelts Produced, Price, and Value, United States, 1984-03 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Mink : Pelts : Average Marketing : Value of Year : Farms : Produced : Price : Mink Pelts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number 1,000 Dollars Million Dollars : 1984 : 1,084 4,220 30.80 130.0 1985 : 1,042 4,171 28.00 116.8 1986 : 989 4,096 41.30 170.0 1987 : 1,027 4,122 43.00 177.2 1988 : 1,027 4,453 32.30 143.8 1989 : 940 4,604 20.40 93.9 1990 : 771 3,366 25.50 85.8 1991 : 683 3,268 21.90 71.6 1992 : 571 2,900 23.80 69.0 1993 : 523 2,620 34.10 89.3 1994 : 484 2,623 33.00 86.6 1995 : 478 2,803 53.10 148.8 1996 : 449 2,783 35.30 98.2 1997 : 452 2,993 33.10 99.1 1998 : 438 2,938 24.80 72.9 1999 : 398 2,813 33.70 94.8 2000 : 350 2,666 34.00 90.6 2001 : 329 2,565 33.50 85.9 2002 : 324 2,607 30.60 79.8 2003 : 307 2,549 40.10 102.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Sum of color class may not add to U.S. total due to rounding.

Mink: Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms, Major States and United States, 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Demi- : : Sap- : Blue : Mahog- : States : Black : Wild : Pastel : phire : Iris : any : Pearl -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 68,100 47,400 28,200 52,300 IL : 41,900 IA : 60,500 13,200 8,300 12,400 MI : MN : 43,700 46,300 1,500 3,500 80,800 81,400 OH : 30,300 10,900 16,500 OR : 83,400 25,400 143,300 PA : 6,900 11,100 14,100 SD : UT : 200,000 24,000 39,000 231,000 WA : 42,600 18,500 48,900 WI : 341,000 17,500 14,200 37,300 141,000 97,900 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 48,400 68,000 16,800 9,400 12,800 74,700 88,000 : US 2/ : 966,800 150,300 32,500 182,200 516,400 566,200 88,000 : :-------------------------------------------------------------: : : : : Misc. & : : Number : :Lavender : Violet : White : Unclass- : Total : of : : : : : ified : Pelts : Farms : :-------------------------------------------------------------: : ------------------------- Number ------------------------ : ID : 228,900 28 IL : 53,500 7 IA : 111,600 16 MI : 57,000 9 MN : 270,600 36 OH : 63,300 8 OR : 270,200 25 PA : 53,600 8 SD : 78,200 4 UT : 4,000 575,000 80 WA : 110,000 15 WI : 32,100 685,000 69 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 5,800 11,500 43,000 8,500 50,400 19 : US 2/ : 9,800 11,500 75,100 8,500 2,607,300 324 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations. Published color classes may not add to the State total. 2/ New color classes started in 2002. Reference page 8.

Mink: Pelts Produced by Color Class and Number of Farms, Major States and United States, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Demi- : : Sap- : Blue : Mahog- : States : Black : Wild : Pastel : phire : Iris : any : Pearl -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 60,200 22,600 13,400 49,600 IL : 41,800 IA : 65,100 10,200 2,100 MI : MN : 37,700 49,600 1,100 2,900 48,900 84,000 OH : 32,100 9,400 9,800 OR : 96,500 25,000 131,000 18,400 PA : 6,400 10,500 17,700 SD : UT : 235,000 26,500 23,000 226,000 WA : 28,800 13,400 52,400 WI : 381,000 6,200 35,300 97,700 95,000 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 41,100 101,400 22,200 14,500 15,200 63,400 74,900 : US 2/ :1,025,700 164,400 29,500 146,700 409,500 548,300 74,900 : :-------------------------------------------------------------: : : : : Misc. & : : Number : :Lavender : Violet : White : Unclass- : Total : of : : : : : ified : Pelts : Farms : :-------------------------------------------------------------: : ------------------------ Number ------------------------ : ID : 168,700 24 IL : 52,300 7 IA : 16,700 129,100 15 MI : 51,000 8 MN : 700 16,300 245,200 31 OH : 63,000 9 OR : 273,000 25 PA : 44,600 9 SD : 78,700 3 UT : 590,000 80 WA : 94,600 10 WI : 63,400 2,100 706,300 69 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 4,200 18,000 20,600 8,000 52,500 17 : US 2/ : 4,200 18,700 117,000 10,100 2,549,000 307 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations. Published color classes may not add to the State total. 2/ New color classes started in 2002. Reference page 8.

Female Mink Bred to Produced Kits: Number by Color Class, Major States and United States, 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Demi- : : Sap- : Blue : Mahog- States : Black : Wild : Pastel : phire : Iris : any -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 15,200 5,500 4,000 12,000 IL : 11,800 IA : 18,400 4,000 2,800 600 MI : MN : 10,000 9,000 300 800 14,700 15,500 OH : 8,100 1,900 5,500 OR : 19,800 5,200 27,600 PA : 1,900 3,600 5,400 SD : UT : 56,200 6,100 6,000 48,300 WA : 7,700 4,300 10,700 200 WI : 94,700 5,400 3,200 9,000 26,500 21,000 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 11,600 12,700 4,800 2,300 3,700 15,800 : US 2/ : 255,400 31,400 8,300 38,400 101,400 118,900 : :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : Misc. & : : Pearl : Lavender : Violet : White : Unclass- : Total : : : : : ified : :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 41,100 IL : 14,300 IA : 32,400 MI : 11,600 MN : 4,300 55,500 OH : 17,400 OR : 56,500 PA : 14,200 SD : 18,100 UT : 135,000 WA : 22,900 WI : 8,500 170,000 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 20,100 1,300 7,100 6,600 1,700 14,400 : US 2/ : 20,100 1,300 7,100 19,400 1,700 603,400 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations. Published color classes may not add to the State total. 2/ New color classes started for female mink bred in 2003. Reference page 8.

Female Mink Bred to Produced Kits: Number by Color Class, Major States and United States, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Demi- : : Sap- : Blue : Mahog- States : Black : Wild : Pastel : phire : Iris : any -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 15,600 3,400 2,800 14,600 IL : 11,900 IA : 18,900 2,600 600 MI : MN : 9,500 10,600 400 700 7,400 18,400 OH : 9,400 2,000 3,600 OR : 25,600 3,100 17,900 6,200 PA : 5,200 3,200 2,900 SD : UT : 61,000 5,000 5,400 51,900 WA : 10,500 2,900 10,900 WI : 100,200 2,000 8,400 18,500 19,300 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 9,700 21,300 6,900 4,400 3,300 12,500 : US 2/ : 277,500 34,800 9,300 30,200 71,700 127,100 : :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : Misc. & : : Pearl : Lavender : Violet : White : Unclass- : Total : : : : : ified : :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : ID : 41,400 IL : 14,800 IA : 3,500 34,000 MI : 11,700 MN : 3,100 51,300 OH : 18,400 OR : 53,300 PA : 14,900 SD : 17,800 UT : 143,000 WA : 24,300 WI : 168,900 : Oth : Sts 1/ : 16,800 1,500 6,100 19,700 3,500 11,000 : US 2/ : 16,800 1,500 6,100 26,300 3,500 604,800 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ "Other States" include some pelts from the above listed States which were not published to avoid disclosing individual operations. Published color classes may not add to the State total. 2/ New color classes started for female mink bred in 2003. Reference page 8.

Mink Color Classes, beginning with pelt production in 2002 and female mink bred in 2003:

Black - formerly Standard, includes Pure Dark.

Demi/Wild - includes Dark Brown, Ranch Wild, Demi-buff.

Pastel - includes Dawn, Orchid.

Sapphire - includes Pale Brown.

Blue Iris - formerly Gunmetal, includes Aleutian.

Mahogany

Pearl

Lavender - formerly Lavender Hope.

Violet - includes Violet type, Cameo, Winterblue, Glacial.

White

Miscellaneous - Includes Pink.

Survey Procedures: Data for mink production are collected from all known producers. State Statistical Offices use known sources of producers to update their lists. All known mink producers are mailed a questionnaire and given adequate time to respond by mail. Those that do not respond by mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person. Care is exercised to ensure that all operations are accounted for. Major auction houses which handle producer sales provide mink pelt price data in July. Prices are collected at the point of first sale by producers, before marketing costs are deducted.

Reliability: Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the estimates from reported data. All data are analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and to trends from similar operations. Data for inaccessible operations are accounted for through the expansion of the reported data or by imputation based on individual historical data. Survey data are subject to non-sampling errors such as omissions and mistakes in reporting and in processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized by carefully reviewing all reported data for consistency and reasonableness.

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Seattle Activist Is Not A Terrorist, But She Is A Liar

Seattle-based animal rights activist Nancy Pennington penned an op-ed to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer complaining how unfair it is that animal rights activists like her are called terrorists (though she doesn’t provide any specific example where she’s been called a terrorist) and generally defending her own activism.

According to Pennington,

I’ve never understood the hostility of some people toward animal activists. As for the “get a life” epithet hurled at us by people whose dedication to anything is questionable, everyone I know in the “animal movement” has a job (except those of us who are retired) and a willingness to make conditions for animals better the central part of our lives.

The hostility could come from activists such as Pennington who defended PETA’s comparison of animal slaughter to the Holocaust, but lied about that campaign. Pennington claimed that Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel supported PETA’s efforts when, in fact, Wiesel vigorously opposed PETA’s use of a picture of him as a young man imprisoned at Buchenwald, and publicly said that PETA’s comparison of animal slaughter to the Holocaust was “wrong.”

So, remember, if you run into Ms. Pennington, the correct epithet is liar or idiot, not terrorist. Instead of, “get a life,” the proper response is “get a clue.”

Source:

They’re animal advocates, not terrorists. Nancy Pennington, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 18, 2005.

Eli Lilly Plans Withdrawal of Insulin in Canada; Diabetics Not Happy

Animal-based insulin is becoming increasingly difficult to find in the West, and Eli Lilly recently announced plans to stop selling animal-insulin in Canada. That decision has brought on the anger of a number of diabetes charities who accuse the drug company of putting people ahead of profits in withdrawing the animal-insulin.

Until the early 1980s, all insulin was either beef or pork-based. But in the early 1980s, synthetic insulin began to get approval in Western countries and has gradually displaced animal-based insulin. Synthetic insulin has a number of advantages, including that it is cheaper to produce, has fewer impurities, and its is more-or-less identical to human insulin.

But some users of animal-based insulin claim that the synthetic insulin causes any number of side effects, and that it gives them better awareness of impending low blood sugar.

Comparative studies between the two, however, have tended to show that synthetic insulin is just as safe and effect as animal-based insulin, and avoids the potential of an immune response that is a risk with animal-based insulin.

Source:

Diabetics fear loss of animal insulin. Don Harrison, The Province, July 22, 2005.