Mink farmers seek aid over disease outbreak

A Labrador mink farmer is considering legal action against the Newfoundland and Labrador government because of damages from an infectious disease.

Jamie Stone and another Labrador farmer met Friday with Natural Resources Minister Kathy Dunderdale about fallout from Aleutian disease, a contagious infection that was first identified in the province in June.

Stone, whose farm is in the southern Labrador community of Charlottetown, said he was told that no compensation will be coming from the province anytime soon and possibly not at all.

"She wants to wait until the budget comes into effect and that's March," Stone told CBC News. "That's running us way out of time. The answer should be now — not then."

Stone and another Labrador farmer ran into trouble after they brought mink from a farm in Newfoundland. Aleutian disease was later identified at that source farm, leading to a cull at farms that bought breeder animals.

Stone is considering legal action against that farm, as well as against the province.

"Really, the issue comes back to the regulations that weren't enforced in the beginning," he said.

Apart from being fatal, Aleutian disease can ruin pelt quality and affects reproduction. The disease has not been shown to be harmful to humans.

Merv Wiseman, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Fur Breeders Association, said his group had already approached the government for $14 million to help the farms affected by this year's outbreak.

"This particular step is critical to moving forward [and] I believe putting the industry back on a solid footing again," Wiseman said.

Stone estimates that damages to his own farm amount to about $400,000.