May 25th

Leather and Hide Weekly

 

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LHCA released its second consecutive annual evaluation of hide waste, finding approximately 14.5 percent of U.S. cattle hides in 2020 failed to enter the domestic or global leather supply chain. Also, the Food Safety and Inspection Service issued new instructions to inspection personnel regarding mask wearing and physical distancing in response to recently revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More on these and other topics below.

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Weekly Hides and Skins Stats 

  • Net sales of cured cattle hides reported for the period ending May 13, 2021, were 246,000 pieces and net sales of wet blue were 48,300 pieces. Reported shipments of cured hides were 329,700 and of wet blue were 140,500. China was the largest buyer of cured hides and Italy was the largest destination for wet blue. See more. For historical data, click here. 
  • U.S. Cattle Slaughter was 669,000 last week, an increase of 4.5 percent from the previous week. Total cattle slaughter in 2021 is 12,906,000 head, up 6.2 percent from the same period in 2020. See more.
  • USDA AMS Major Packer Hide Price Report provided prices for eight types of U.S. hides at nine price points with a spread of $20 for branded southwest cows to $49 for butt branded steers. See more.

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Industry Updates

  • LHCA released a new infographic that shines a light on the environmental costs of using imitation products and synthetics, mostly made from plastics and other non-renewable sources, as opposed to real leather in finished consumer goods. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data reveals that in 2020, the U.S. processed approximately 33 million head of cattle for food. Industry estimations and USDA export data suggest 28.2 million of the 33 million available U.S. cattle hides were used in domestic and global leather production, leaving nearly 4.8 million hides, or 14.5 percent of total U.S. hide production, to be destroyed or discarded in landfills. Those 4.8 million discarded or destroyed hides could have instead been used to produce leather for approximately 86.4 million pairs of shoes, 96 million footballs or 1.6 million sofas. Check out the infographic and analysis here. 
  • There is still time to register for this week's ANPIC trade show in Leon, Mexico. The spring/summer installment will take place May 26-28 and will be presented both virtually and in person. Registration details and an agenda are available here.
  • LHCA congratulates Lisa Howlett, Auburn's Brand Ambassador for ISA TanTec, on her well-deserved retirement, which is effective May 31, 2021. Lisa has been an instrumental advocate for the U.S. hide, skin, and leather industry, which she has served tirelessly for decades. Lisa has also been a valuable member of the LHCA Executive Committee, and has held leadership roles in international leather organizations. Please join us in congratulating Lisa and wishing her a joyful and fulfilling retirement.
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Latest Updates from Real Leather. Stay Different.

In our latest blog post, Real Leather. Stay Different. introduces readers to Aliciz Linz, founder of Alicia Victoria, a company that embraces and celebrates leather's unique and beautiful imperfections -- scars, bumps and holes naturally present from the hides used during production. Rather than discard such products, Alicia strives to reduce waste by creating alluring, classic designs that are as sustainable as they are stylish. Get the latest news from Real Leather. Stay Different. here. And, don't forget to:

 

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Cattle on Feed - May 2021

 

Cattle on feed

 

  • Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market as of May 1, 2021, totaled 11.7 million head. The inventory was 5 percent above May 2020. Read the report here.
  • The Monthly Livestock Slaughter report is now available. April 2021 cattle slaughter totaled 2.85 million head, up 27 percent from April 2020. Review a summary of the data here.
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Other News

  • U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai last week held virtual meetings with her counterparts from Canada and Mexico ahead of the first Free Trade Commission meeting of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Readouts from these meetings and the joint statement issued following the Free Trade Commission meeting, which reviewed work already underway to advance trilateral cooperation under USMCA, are available here. 
  • In response to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for individuals fully vaccinated for COVID-19, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued instructions for in-plant, laboratory and in-commerce personnel. The FSIS guidance advises fully vaccinated inspectors need not wear a mask and/or face shield or practice physical distancing in federal establishments, but directs inspectors to follow companies' policies and requirements. Additional details are available here.

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.