wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 1034 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that the demand for products made of animal fur has been in decline and that the fur industry represents a very small portion of Washington's economy. For example, according to the United States department of agriculture, mink pelt production decreased 15 percent from 2018 to 2019, and the value of mink pelts produced decreased 30 percent in the same time frame. In Washington, mink pelt production accounted for only 1.4 percent of total production in the United States in 2018, decreasing to less than one percent in 2019.
The legislature finds that there are growing concerns for the welfare of the animals used in fur farming. For instance, there are no federal or state humane slaughter laws that regulate the industry. In addition, there are significant concerns related to the environmental impact of fur farming. For these and other reasons, the legislature finds that it is in the public interest to end fur farming.
Recognizing the harmful impacts on animals and the environment, the legislature intends to end fur farming, to provide assistance to existing farmers transitioning to other types of farming or livelihood, and to end the production and manufacture of fur products in Washington by 2024.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Fur" means any animal skin or part thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached thereto, either in its raw or processed state.
"Fur farm" means any operation, including the land, buildings, support facilities, and other equipment, in which mink, marten, fox, or chinchilla are owned, controlled, raised, bred, propagated, kept, slaughtered, skinned, or sold for the value of their fur.
"Fur farming" means breeding, raising, and rearing of mink, marten, fox, and chinchilla in captivity or enclosures.
"Person" includes any individual, firm corporation, trust, association, copartnership, society, or other organization of individuals and any other business unit, device, or arrangement.
A person may not own or operate a fur farm. The prohibitions in this section do not apply to any activity expressly authorized by federal law, nor to any activity related to producing fur for traditional tribal, cultural, or spiritual uses by a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe.
A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The fur farm transition grant program is established in the department of agriculture. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose and as allowed by law, the purpose of the program is to help existing fur farmers impacted by this act transition out of fur farming. Grant funds may be used only for technical assistance, permitting, new facility construction, equipment, and labor costs associated with transitioning out of fur farming. The department of agriculture may adopt rules to carry out the grant program.
This section expires June 30, 2026.
The fur farm transition account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts, any legislative appropriations, federal funds, private donations, or any other private or public source directed to the fur farm transition grant program must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the fur farm transition grant program established in section 4 of this act. Only the director of the department of agriculture or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.
This section expires June 30, 2026.