Jim Devaney knows he’s a bit of a contrarian. However, he clings to his thoughts like a hungry alligator clings to its prey.
Devani, who owns the Abbas accessory leather company, has been in the alligator leather business since the early 1980s and has owned the Black Diamond Tannery in Lecanto since 2015.
At Black Diamond, a three-person team processes the alligator skin into leather that is shipped to Abbas’s factory in Worcester, Massachusetts, into bags, bracelets, watch bands, purses and other products.
The point of contention is that Devaney, an independent contender in the world of alligator leather, insists that he only use wild-caught animals, not farmed ones. This is at odds with the current state of the industry, which estimates that less than 5% of alligator skins used in leather today come from wild-caught alligators.
“I don’t believe that farmed algae is sustainable,” he said, citing economic and ethical issues. “If the animal’s skin is the last price, I don’t think this is sustainable.”
Among the many factors that make alligator farming an important source of hides for the leather industry is that the hides are clean and can be grown in excellent conditions and can provide many additives.
Alligator breeding has also played a role in efforts to protect the species. Since most farms collect eggs from the wild, it is in their interest to invest in long-term protection. Alligator farms and traps similarly operate under strict regulations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“The economic benefits associated with participating in alligator management programs support the research, management and law enforcement efforts that contribute to the success of Florida’s alligator population,” said Tammy Sapp, communications manager at FWC. “This lasting benefit creates long-term security ambassadors for the state.”
But the consequence of coming to the farm was an abundance of hides, which caused their value to fall. This oversupply came mainly from large industrial farms that could kill thousands of animals every week and put small operations out of business.
“We couldn’t stay in business,” said Linda Boston, who farms with her husband in Sanford. Because nowadays if you are a small farmer you can’t give deer skins,” she said. “For the small alligator farmer, there’s no profit at this point.”
The average price of alligator skin per linear foot fell from $70 to $39 between 2016 and 2021, while the total number of skins produced on Florida farms increased from 16,621 in 2009 to 39,254 in 2020, according to the Alligator Management Group. By FWC. The supply of heaven far exceeds the demand of the skin. These conditions make it difficult for small farmers to stay in business.
Boston’s currently only sells meat, which is growing in popularity among restaurants nationwide, she said. Now the only way to end up with a $1 million skin is to start with $10 million, she joked.
Curt Parlier, who recently left the farm with his brother to focus on guiding hunts for tourists, put it simply.
“This is a dying industry,” he said.
