USA launches leather traceability programme

The United States’ first initiative to trace hides and skins to the meatpacking plant or processing facility has been launched by the US Hide, Skin and Leather Association (USHSLA). This voluntary programme is said to give independently-certified traceability back to an identifiable point of origin.

USHSLA president Stephen Sothmann described the scheme as ‘groundbreaking’, claiming that it demonstrates the industry’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement while seeking to build and maintain trust with tanners, manufacturers, brand owners, retailers and consumers.

Independent audits will be conducted by the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Market Service to certify that a supplier has the necessary internal controls, procedures and record keeping methods in place to ensure that hides and skins originate from an identifiable facility. Buyers will receive a ‘certificate of origin’ naming the facility from where the product came, as well as accreditation information. The certificate of origin for hides and skins that have been processed into leather can be transferred to manufacturers, brand owners, retailers and other downstream users in order provide supply chain transparency and to comply with security efforts.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the November 2019 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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