TOPIC:
Fur Trade Industry Issue
'Faux'
versus Real Fur Debate
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The US
fur producers are not part of the scandal
Comment: <<Here in the
U.S., we're not part of the current scandal regarding the
Raccoon Dog...>>
Fur Commission USA's
position regarding the inhumane killing of the Raccoon Dog
When the 'faux fur' mislabeling investigation became public in
December 2006, the Fur Commission USA immediately went onboard
with a denouncement that Raccoon Dogs are not 'really dogs',
listing the final species listing of the Raccoon Dog, but not
mentioning the term 'Canaidae' which is the first level of the
family species chain of Canidae. Using the final species list of
Nyctereutes Procyonoides and advising readers to remember that
name, it clearly mislead the reader in an attempt to 'distance'
itself from the controversy.
Source:
Fur Commission USA
FICA (Fur Council of
America) lists 17 types of fur on their website:
Beaver, Chinchilla, Coyote, Ermine, Fisher, Fox, Lamb, Lynx,
Marten, Mink, Muskrat, Nutra, Opposium, Rabbit, Raccoon, Sable,
Tanuki (Raccoon Dog)
Source:
About Fur
Using the species lineup of the
Family "Canidae", FICA represents the following types of fur
among those 17 listed on their website:
|
FAMILY CANIDAE
Subfamily: Caninae (True Dogs, Foxes and Basal Caninae) |
|
True dogs
- Tribe Canini |
|
|
Genus Canis |
|
FICA |
FICA |
Coyote, Canis latrans (also
called Prairie Wolf) |
|
|
|
Gray Wolf, Canis lupus
|
|
|
|
|
Domestic Dog, Canis lupus
familiaris |
|
Foxes
- Tribe Vulpini |
|
FICA |
Genus Alopex |
|
FICA |
FICA |
Arctic Fox, Alopex lagopus |
|
FICA |
Genus Vulpes |
|
FICA |
FICA |
Red, Silver or Cross Fox,
Vulpes vulpes |
|
FICA |
Genus Urocyon
|
|
FICA |
FICA |
Gray Fox, Urocyon
cinereoargenteus |
|
Basal Caninae |
|
FICA |
Genus Nyctereutes |
|
FICA |
FICA |
Raccoon Dog, Nyctereutes
procyonoides |
Note: FICA's role (per
their website):
- The Fur Information Council
of America (FICA) is the largest fur industry association
representing fur retailers and manufacturers across the
country who collectively account for over 80% of U.S. fur
sales. FICA's 30+ member board of directors includes the CEOs
of the nation's largest fur retailers, manufacturers, and
auction houses, as well as wildlife management and
agricultural experts.
- There are approximately 1500
retailers and 100 manufacturers in the U.S. Most (85%) are
small, family-run businesses which have been passed from
generation to generation.
- It should be noted that 85%
of all U.S. fur retailers are small, independent, frequently
family-owned businesses. On their own, these firms do not have
the wherewithal to oppose concerted campaigns mounted by
well-financed animal activists to embarrass furriers and
destroy their livelihoods. FICA is there to help.
- U.S. Retail Fur sales in
2005 were $1.82billion ($1.81 billion in 2004)
|
|
Figures are extremely hard to
find, but for the year 2004, the following information was
supplied by the U.S. Census Bureau:
U.S. - Fur
& leather apparel mfg - by Employment Size of Enterprise
(Special Note: the fur industry is not separated out from
the "Fur & Leather Apparel Manufacturing" category by the U.S.
Census Bureau, so the table below also includes the leather
trade industry)
|
Employment size of
enterprise |
# CO |
Paid
employees |
Annual
payroll
|
|
All firms (Aver. $28,053 yr) |
154 |
1,482 |
41,576,000 |
|
Firms with no employees (as of
March 12) |
17 (11%) |
(1-19) |
D |
|
Firms with 1 to 4 employees
(Aver. $26,432) |
72 (47%) |
148 |
3,912,000 |
|
Firms with 5 to 9 employees
(Aver $28,017) |
25 (16%) |
171 |
4,791,000. |
|
Firms with 10 to 19 employees
(Aver $27,700) |
20 (13%) |
280 |
7,756,000 |
|
Firms with 20 to 99 employees
($26,090) |
17 (11%) |
720 |
18,785,000 |
|
Firms with 100 to 499
employees |
3 (2%) |
(100-249) |
D |
D = Withheld to avoid
disclosure
Table includes only establishments with payroll.
Source: US. Bureau of Census
Table
Conclusion?
The "Raccoon Dog" issue cannot simply be shoved onto "only"
China's shoulders - it is an international problem and that
includes the United States as well. It is also incorrect
to assume that fur products with a "made in China" label are
made up of Chinese produced skins. China is the largest
manufacturer of fur products and textiles made with fur in the
world. But the vast majority of these products comprise European
or North American skins. The Chinese import the raw material and
then re-export the finished product around the world.
(Source: International Fur Trade Federation - FICA is affiliated
with the Int'l Fur Trade Federation -
IFTF Press
Release)
If FICA and the other U.S. fur trade organizations, companies
(family owned or those with 20 to 99 employees), retailers and
other establishments are not involved in the controversy
regarding Raccoon Dogs (Tanuki), exactly who is willing to take
responsibility in this horrendous practice in the States?
Hiding one's head in the sand or pointing fingers at others
doesn't diminish the problem, but only enhances it through
denial and obfiscation.
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