LWG’s Brazil trip exposes room for improvement on traceability
Representatives of the Leather Working Group (LWG) have described as “striking” the “negligible” role the hide plays for Brazilian farmers after a trip to Brazil to learn about the challenges of traceability.
Along with a delegation of brands and NGOs, they visited farms, a slaughterhouse and a tannery.
LWG said: “It was striking to learn directly from the farmer about the negligible role the hide plays for them. The farmers had no knowledge or interest in which market the hide went to, with the beef bringing them their income, the quality of the meat was their focus.”
The cattle wore numerous ear tags on the farm, but then there was a “disconnect” at the slaughterhouse: “This presented the first of many potential opportunities to unite systems, and carry over the crucial data on traceability to the leather.”
It added cattle rearing can be a supplementary or temporary practice on the route to establishing land for growing soy and cotton.
At LWG’s South American regional meeting (pictured), speakers from tannery Durli Leathers spoke of progress of its traceability project; JBS impressed the need for developing the chain of custody for material processed in LWG certified sites; and tanners’ association CICB outlined its efforts to build engagement with the Brazilian government.
LWG’s next regional meetings will be held in Milan on 21 September 2023 and Hong Kong in 2024.
