New survey: Only 2% of Finns in the fur farming region consider fur farming as an important employer in the future

According to a new survey carried out in the fur farming region of Finland, Ostrobothnia, fur farming is not considered a significant employer in the future. The majority of respondents consider fur farming to be an industry of the past.

The survey was commissioned by the Finnish animal rights organisation Animalia and conducted by Norstat in the Ostrobothnia region. Respondents were asked to consider the future of fur farming and to choose which three industries are the most important future employers in the region.

Ostrobothnia does not see a future for fur farming

When comparing different industries, only two percent of respondents included fur farming among the three most important future employers. The metal and engineering industry, digital industries, and the social and healthcare sector were considered the most important employers in the future.

When asked whether fur farming belongs to Ostrobothnia’s future or its past, a clear majority, 70 per cent of respondents, considered the industry to be a thing of the past.

”It has long been clear that fur farming is not economically viable and that it is a secondary source of income for the majority of farmers. Now we know for certain that not even people from Ostrobothnia see a future for fur farming. Decision-makers in Finland and in the EU must take this into account when they decide on the future of fur farming,” says Animalia’s Executive Director Heidi Kivekäs.

The European Commission is currently preparing its response to the European Citizen’s Initiative Fur Free Europe. A national citizens’ initiative is expected to go to a vote in the Finnish Parliament before the end of the parliamentary elections in April.

Finland seeks a derogation to the EU mink farming ban based on local significance of mink farming

Mink has been classified in the EU as an invasive alien species, and mink farming will be banned starting from August 2027.

”Finland has requested to continue mink farming, arguing that fur farming is an important regional livelihood. The survey results effectively dismantle this argument. Even at the heart of the fur farming region, the industry is not considered significant,” Kivekäs says.

Additional information about the study:

The study was commissioned by Animalia and conducted by Norstat as an internet panel survey. The data set of 300 respondents provides a reliable picture of the views of residents in the four Ostrobothnian regions. The study is representative of the population in terms of age and gender in the regions of South Ostrobothnia, Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, and North Ostrobothnia. The calculated margin of error for the results is at most ±5.8 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level for the entire data set.

The full data set is available to the media upon request.

Questions:

Which industries do you consider the most important employers in Ostrobothnia in 10 years?
Respondents were allowed to choose the three most important employers, ranked 1–3.

The industries have been scored according to rank, so that rank 1 receives 3 points, rank 2 receives 2 points, and rank 3 receives 1 point. After each industry is its score, followed by the number and percentage of respondents who ranked it in positions 1–3, shown in parentheses.

1. Metal and engineering industry 342 (55%)
2. Digital industries (e.g. automation and software sector and data centers) 323 (51.3%)
3. Social and healthcare sector 316 (51.3%)
4. Green transition industry (e.g. solar power, wind power, green hydrogen, battery industry and battery recycling) 208 (34%)
5. Greenhouse and food production 205 (32.3%)
6. Construction sector 148 (27.7%)
7. Chemical industry 119 (20%)
8. Industrial circular economy and material reuse (e.g. reuse of industrial equipment) 74 (15%)
9. Tourism 42 (8,7%)
10. Other 14 (2.7%)
11. Fur farming 9 (2%)

Which of the following better describes your own view?

• Fur farming belongs more to Ostrobothnia’s past than its future. 70%
• Fur farming still has an important role in Ostrobothnia’s future. 30%