As Wisconsin’s mink production fell to its lowest level in more than half a century, animal rights activists want to shut down the remaining fur farms, which they say could spawn new variants of the COVID-19 virus.

But others say the state’s oldest industry is poised for a rebound.

Wisconsin’s mink production fell by more than half last year to the lowest level in more than 50 years, according to numbers released last week.

The state’s ranchers produced 403,540 mink pelts in 2020, down from 1.02 million the previous year and less than a third the number in 2015, according to US. Department of Agriculture estimates released last week.

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