June 23rd

Leather and Hide Weekly

The Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) continues to monitor developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is available to support members navigating this rapidly evolving situation. LHCA is also following reports out of China, where certain importers are requiring documentation attesting that products shipped from the U.S. are not contaminated with COVID-19. LHCA is currently not hearing about any U.S. hides, skins or leather products that are subject to these documentation requirements. Plus, LHCA is seeking member input regarding how best to proceed with the Association's fall Annual Meeting. More on these and other topics below.

We hope you stay safe and healthy.

 

cows

 

Weekly Hides and Skins Stats 

  • Net sales of cured cattle hides reported for the period ending June 11 were 349,400 pieces and of wet blue were 27,500 pieces. Reported shipments of cured hides were 514,900 and of wet blue were 78,300. China was the largest buyer of cured hides and Italy was the largest destination for wet blue. See more. 
  • U.S. Cattle Slaughter was 656,000 last week, down 0.3 percent from the previous week. Total cattle slaughter in 2020 is 14,618,000, 6.3 percent below 2019 levels. See more.
  • USDA AMS Major Packer Hide Price Report provided prices for four types of U.S. hides at five price points with a spread of $8 for dairy cows to $25 for heavy native steers.  See more.

Industry Updates

 

  • LHCA is seeking feedback from members regarding the format of the Association's Annual Meeting, currently scheduled for October 21-23, 2020, in Chicago. Specifically, in light of continued uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, LHCA is asking members to complete a short poll to ascertain whether members plan to attend the Annual Meeting in-person, and whether they would be inclined to attend a virtual event should the in-person meeting be cancelled due to ongoing concerns about the virus. The Intercontinental Hotel Chicago has agreed to cancel the 2020 meeting without penalty, if LHCA holds its event with them in 2021. The poll is available here.    
  • LHCA joined more than 190 organizations representing the full range of the U.S. agricultural supply chain in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, applauding the U.S.-China Phase One Trade Agreement, underscoring the Agreement's significance to the American agriculture sector and providing details on aspects of the Agreement that are critical to nearly every commodity group -- including hides, skins and leather -- across the agriculture sector. Read the letter here.   
  • LHCA President Stephen Sothmann will present our ethical duty to use leather during the upcoming "Why Leather - The Genuine Facts" webinar, focused on leather's value to the automotive industry. The webinar will take place this Thursday, June 25, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET. Click here to register to attend the webinar. 
  • The North American Meat Institute continues to share guidance documents and other resources for industry on its COVID-19 response webpage. The page includes the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding face coverings, employee screening and positive test result protocol, among other pertinent resources. CDC and the Department of Labor issued guidance specific to the meat and poultry processing industry in order to facilitate ongoing operations and support the food supply, while also mitigating the risk of spreading COVID-19. The guidance is available here.  

 

cows

 

Other Trade News

  • Global suppliers of meat, seafood and other foodstuffs are being asked by their Chinese importers to provide a document attesting that the products shipped to China are not contaminated with COVID-19 and that establishments follow FAO-WHO interim guidance on COVID mitigation and food safety. USDA is recommending that companies not sign or provide such a document. High-level U.S. government representatives are corresponding with officials from China's General Administration for Customs on this issue, and are seeking to remove the COVID-19 declration for products exported from the U.S. At the time of this writing, U.S. hides, skins and leather products are not subject to this declaration, though LHCA continues to monitor the situation for updates. 
  • The Federal Maritime Commission last week published recommendations to enhance service, and to reduce delays, disruption and congestion at marine terminals. Although the recommendations are focused on the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, they would benefit service for exporters and importers at all U.S. ports. Recommendations include allowing truckers to return empty containers to the terminal where the container was picked up and encouraging advance notice of terminal gate closures and blank sailings, among other suggestions.  

Monthly Trade Data

  • Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market as of June 1, 2020, totaled 11.7 million head. The inventory was slightly below June 1, 2019. Read the report here.

Cattle on Feed - As of June 1, 2020

cows

Latest Updates from Real Leather. Stay Different.

leather loves mike adler

 

Renowned stylist Mike Adler kicked off his new Leather Love series for chooserealleather.com. In his inaugural feature, Adler shares a visual edit of some of his favorite leather-focused styling images. His series will highlight his all-time favorite leather artists and products, as he aims to inspire consumers around the world to embrace the beauty, artistry and craftsmanship of leather. Check out Adler's first post here -- you won't want to miss this series. Also, get the latest Real Leather. Stay Different. Global Student Design Competition news here. And, don't forget to:    

Leather News

Each week, we will share relevant leather news below. Some of the articles may cover our products, and the industry, unfavorably, but we still believe it is important to share the different ways in which leather is presented in the media. If you find articles that you would like to see included, please send them to mschumpp@meatinstitute.org.