August 4th

Leather and Hide Weekly

 

stay-strong

 

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 recently signed two coalition letters -- one urging the Administration to extend tariff relief through its exclusion process, and the other requesting that Administration officials pursue an agreement with Mexico over a dispute concerning seasonal produce imports to avoid retaliation from the Mexican government. In the past, the U.S. hides, skins and leather industry has been a primary target of retaliation by foreign governments engaged in trade disputes with the U.S., even when those disputes have little direct connection to the industry. Plus, the "Real Leather. Stay Different." Global Student Design Competition is nearing its end in Taiwan, with an Award Ceremony to honor the talented finalists scheduled for September in Taipei. 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 July 23 were 447,600 pieces and of wet blue were 133,100 pieces. Reported shipments of cured hides were 544,400 and of wet blue were 100,400. China was the largest buyer of cured hides and Italy was the largest destination for wet blues. See more. For historical data, click here. 
  • U.S. Cattle Slaughter was 638,000 last week, down 1.2 percent from the previous week. Total cattle slaughter in 2020 is 18,420,000, 5.3 percent below 2019 levels. 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 $1.50 for branded southwest cows to $25 for heavy native steers.  See more.

Industry Updates

  • The "Real Leather. Stay Different." Global Student Design Competition is moving forward in Taiwan. Twenty-three students, who were selected to compete in the final round, are now transforming their designs into product samples made using U.S. hides and leather. A panel of judges, featuring brand designers, fashion designers, editors from Taiwan's fashion magazines and leather experts will review and select competition winners on September 8, 2020. The public will also have the chance to weigh in through an online vote on Facebook. LHCA and the Taiwan International Leather Association are working together to organize the Design Exhibition and Award Ceremony, planned for September 7 and 8, respectively. Both events will take place at Taipei 101. Local government and industry association representatives, media, tanneries and leather manufacturers, students and educators will be invited to both events to celebrate the sustainability, versatility, durability and beauty of real U.S. leather. Click here for more information. 
  • 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

  • LHCA joined the Americans for Free Trade coalition in sending a letter to Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and Collin Peterson (D-MN) to express strong support for their bipartisan legislation that would extend current product exclusions from the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports for at least one year. The letter cites the need to provide certainty to companies that have been granted exclusions and to improve transparency in the current exclusion process. The organizations, in the letter, underscore that the exclusion process should not stand as a barrier to business' ability to recover from the economic harm caused by COVID-19. Read more. 
  • The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative next week is convening hearings that will examine trade distorting policies that may affect seasonal and perishable products in U.S. commerce. Produce growers in Florida and Georgia contend that seasonal produce imports from Mexico enter the U.S. market at artificially low prices, and thereby unfairly restrict competition from domestic U.S. growers. LHCA joined other agricultural organizations and companies in sending a letter to Ambassador Robert Lighthizer citing concerns regarding expected retaliation against U.S. agricultural product exports that will likely result from any punitive measures levied against seasonal fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico. Because the U.S agricultural industry, including the U.S. hides, skins, and leather industry, has in the past been the primary target of retaliation by foreign governments engaged in trade disputes with the U.S., the letter encourages Ambassador Lighthizer to pursue a resolution to this issue that avoids escalating tensions with Mexico, which would undermine the recent entry into force of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. More here. 

Latest Updates from Real Leather. Stay Different.

leather sandals

 

Leather's durability is one of its best qualities; it truly can last forever -- with the proper care, of course. With summer here, you are probably wondering whether you should toss that old pair of leather sandals. But, why throw them away when you can make them look good as new? Check out this video for tips to rescue your favorite pair of leather sandals so you can wear them all summer long. 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.