Earlier today, the Norwegian Parliament passed a law that prohibits fur farming throughout the country. Existing fur farms will be required to shutter their doors by 2025.

This historic measure came to fruition thanks to decades of work by animal rights activists and Norway’s liberal Venstre political party. Venstre made the fur farm ban a condition for joining the new right-leaning government.

Norway currently houses less than 200 fur farms that employ some 500 people. These farms produce only about one percent of the world’s mink and about three percent of the world’s fox fur. The government will pay fur farmers $54 million in compensation.

Norway joins Croatia, Austria, and the United Kingdom as countries that have banned this cruel and disgusting practice. The Netherlands will also effectively ban all fur farming by 2024. Major fashion houses including Versace, Prada, and Gucci have also promised to stop using fur.

In 2013, Finland’s first-ever citizens’ initiative to gain enough signatures to go before Parliament was a proposed ban on fur farming. The ban received over 70,000 signatures. Sadly, it was voted down. Finland is America’s top fox fur supplier. In Estonia, a citizens’ initiative similar to Finland’s is currently being considered by its parliament.