The Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) has confirmed that it will receive funding of $5.5 million from the US Department of Agriculture’s regional agricultural promotion programme (RAPP) to help fund its support of the US producers of hides and leather.

LHCA president, Kerry Brozyna, said the organisation had been working for more than 100 years to support the US hide, skin and leather sectors. He said the RAPP funding would help LHCA “expand global demand for leather products and increase US exports by protecting and promoting the benefits of leather as a sustainable material”.

RAPP works as supplementary funding to existing export market development budgets to build demand for US food and farm exports in high-potential markets around the globe. It particularly targets markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Mr Brozyna said that LHCA had a proven track record of export market development in Europe, China and Mexico, and added: “We are thrilled to be able to diversify US export targets to include Africa, Asia and Latin America. These funds will assist us in expediting and amplifying our plans.”

The organisation said it would continue marketing, education, research and trade support to its existing programmes, but would use the RAPP funds to expand its work in Africa and Asia beyond initiatives it has already put in place in Ethiopia, Kenya, Vietnam and Thailand.

It said new activities in Latin America and India would open doors for US leather exports through marketing, education, training and trade support programmes.