Mink VIRUS Act

Bill Number

H.R. 2185

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-04-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

Last Updated

2026-07-01T08:08:04Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Mink VIRUS Act (H.R. 2185) aims to safeguard public health and human safety by banning the farming of mink for fur production in the United States. It addresses risks associated with mink farming, such as potential disease transmission (implied by the bill's acronym for "Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States"). The legislation also provides financial compensation to help fur farmers shift away from the industry.

Key Provisions

• Prohibition on Mink Farming: Starting one year after enactment, no fur farm (defined as an operation breeding, raising, or processing fur-bearing animals like mink for their fur's market value) may farm mink. This includes halting all related activities such as breeding, slaughtering, skinning, or selling mink for fur.
• Humane Termination Requirements: Within 90 days of enactment, any termination (euthanasia) of farmed mink must follow federal standards for painless methods, as defined in U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (Title 9, Section 1.1) and the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. These must be "acceptable" methods, even if other depopulation guidelines apply.
• Penalties for Non-Compliance:
• Up to $10,000 civil penalty per day for continuing mink farming operations after the ban.
• Up to $10,000 civil penalty per mink for using non-compliant termination methods.
• Compensation Program: The Secretary of Agriculture must establish a payment program within 180 days of enactment for mink fur farm owners. Payments cover:
• Reasonable costs to comply with the ban and termination rules.
• Market value of mink-related farm assets (excluding land), valued as of the day before enactment based on a fair market sale between willing buyers and sellers.
• Recipients must agree not to use funds for fur farming and grant a permanent easement prohibiting future fur farming on the property.
• Funding: $100 million transferred from the U.S. Treasury to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) within 60 days of enactment, available until spent.
• Definitions: Key terms include "fur" (animal skin with hair/fur, excluding leather or certain hides like cowhide); "fur-bearing animal" (animals with marketable fur); "fur farm" (operations focused on fur production); "mink" (specific species and hybrids); and "State" (includes U.S. territories).
• Budgetary Exemption: The bill's costs are exempt from Statutory Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) scorecards, which track federal spending impacts to avoid increasing deficits.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces a nationwide federal ban on mink farming, which previously had no such prohibition at the federal level, though some states may have restrictions.
• Mandates specific humane euthanasia standards for farmed mink, building on but not replacing existing AVMA and federal animal welfare guidelines.
• Creates a new USDA-administered compensation program for affected farmers, similar to buyout programs in other agricultural transitions but targeted specifically at mink operations.
• Explicitly avoids preempting (overriding) stricter state or local laws, allowing more protective measures to remain in place.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The USDA gains responsibility for implementing the payment program, valuing assets, and enforcing compliance, requiring administrative resources. The Treasury provides upfront funding without deficit scoring under PAYGO rules.
• Citizens: Mink farmers face mandatory closure but receive compensation to ease economic transition, potentially reducing job losses in rural areas. Broader public may benefit from lowered zoonotic disease risks (e.g., from mink-related outbreaks like those seen in COVID-19 contexts). Consumers of fur products could see reduced U.S. supply, possibly increasing reliance on imports.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but the ban could affect global fur trade by decreasing U.S. mink fur exports; it may align with international animal welfare trends without altering trade agreements.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Mink Fur Farmers and Owners: Directly impacted by the operational ban and eligibility for compensation; must transition businesses or repurpose land under easement restrictions.
• USDA and Federal Agencies: Responsible for program administration, enforcement, and funding allocation.
• Animal Welfare and Public Health Advocates: Benefit from reduced farming risks and enforced humane practices.
• State and Local Governments: Can maintain or strengthen their own regulations without federal interference.
• Fur Industry Workers and Suppliers: Indirectly affected through supply chain disruptions and potential job shifts.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Establishes civil penalties enforceable by USDA, providing a clear compliance framework without criminal sanctions. The non-preemption clause preserves state authority, potentially leading to varied enforcement across jurisdictions.
• Constitutional: The compensation for lost farm assets addresses potential "takings" claims under the Fifth Amendment (which requires fair payment when government restricts property use), reducing litigation risks.
• Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Democrats and Republicans) suggests cross-aisle appeal tied to public health concerns. Exemption from PAYGO could ease passage by avoiding budget offset debates, but it may draw scrutiny over unbudgeted spending in a fiscally conservative Congress.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]

Cosponsors (5)

Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

Recent Actions

• 2025-04-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
• 2025-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-03-18: Introduced in House
• 2025-03-18: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States Act — issued 2025-03-18 — PDF (7 pages)