April 21st

Leather and Hide Weekly

 

cows

 

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. The Trump Administration is taking action to provide tariff relief to certain companies and products hit hard by the economic impact of COVID-19, though the order does not apply to tariffs imposed on most imports. Also, as the public and private sectors accelerate efforts to combat COVID-19, leading fashion brands are pitching in to produce masks and other useful products. Plus, LHCA President Steve Sothmann last week joined Textile Exchange to discuss the sustainability of leather. 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 April 9 were 695,800 pieces and of wet blue were 27,800 pieces. Reported shipments of cured hides were 411,600 and of wet blue were 55,100. China was the largest buyer of cured hides and Italy was the largest destination for wet blue. See more. 
  • U.S. Cattle Slaughter was 502,000 last week, down 6.3 percent from the previous week. Total cattle slaughter in 2020 is 9,697,000, 0.2 percent below 2019 levels. See more.
  • USDA AMS Major Packer Hide Price Report provided prices for five types of U.S. hides at seven price points with a spread of $11 for Colorado branded steers to $25 for heavy native steers.  See more.

Industry Updates

  • LHCA President Stephen Sothmann last week participated in a webinar to discuss the inherent sustainability of leather with consumer brands from around the world. The webinar, hosted by the Textile Exchange, also featured speakers from Leather UK and Leather Naturally. View the recording here.
  • As a reminder, LHCA's Spring Board of Directors Meeting, scheduled to take place April 23-24 via teleconference/webinar, has been postponed. LHCA will monitor the situation over the coming weeks and will likely choose a time in May or June to hold the meeting via teleconference/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 regarding face coverings, employee screening and positive test result protocol, among other pertinent resources.    
  • LHCA President Stephen Sothmann will present "Our Ethical Duty to Upcycle Cattle Hides from Meat Production," as part of APLF's webinar series. The presentation, which will be moderated by Hidenet's Vera Dordick, will take place June 2, 2020, at 7 a.m. ET (7 p.m. HKT). To register for the free webinar, click here.

 

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Other Trade News

  • The Treasury Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a temporary final rule that allows for a 90-day deferment on certain payments for importers who have faced significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic response. The rule applies to payments for goods imported in March and April 2020. Imports subject to duties associated with Section 201, 232 and 301 trade remedies, and anti-dumping and countervailing duties, are not covered by this rule. More information is available here.  
  • The U.S. and Brazil have agreed to accelerate trade talks aimed at concluding an agreement on trade rules and transparency, including trade facilitation and good regulatory practices, by the end of 2020. Both sides agreed to engage in domestic consultations to determine how the U.S. and Brazil can further expand trade. Read more. 
  • The current U.S.-Canada border restrictions banning non-essential travel between the two countries will be extended for another 30 days, as both countries seek to curb the spread of COVID-19. The restrictions will not extend to trade-related travel. More here.  

Latest Updates from Real Leather. Stay Different.

Leather Catwalk

 

Leading fashion brands have recently followed the life-saving trend of transforming their own production lines to meet the needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out their efforts to stem the spread of the disease. The Real Leather. Stay Different. Global Student Design Competition continues to heat up in China, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Get all your design competition news at chooserealleather.com. Plus, check out our video here showcasing the first round of competition in China.       

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.