The cost of footwear in the U.S. rose 2.8% in the past year, according to new government data, an increase that’s likely due in part to the rising costs of leather.
The data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics comes as the U.S., which is one of the world’s biggest producers of cowhides, currently experiencing a record shortage of the animal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the current U.S. cow population — about 95 million — is at its lowest level since the department began keeping track in 1973.
The high cost of cattle feed and the nation’s drought have contributed to the declining cattle population, Quartz reports.
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- Climate-Conscious Architects Want Europe To Build Less
- The Red-State Governor Who's Not Afraid to Be 'Woke'
- Jonathan Van Ness: We Are Still Not Taking Monkeypox Seriously Enough
- The Not-So-Romantic Return of Europe's Sleeper Trains
- This Filmmaker Set Out To Record Her Family’s Journey Rebuilding Afghanistan. Her Work Is a Reminder of What’s at Stake
- Why Sunscreen Ingredients Need More Safety Data
- What Historians Think of the Joe Biden-Jimmy Carter Comparisons
- Author Mimi Zhu Is Relearning What It Means to Love After Trauma
Read More From TIME
