EU Quality Labelling

Corsendonk

Now there is a huge push on local foods and traditional food methods but you might not all know that the EU has a quality labelling scheme to encourage this. You may have noticed some of the labels on products while on your hols in France or in supermarkets like Aldi/Lidl.

Three EU schemes known as PDO (protected designation of origin), PGI (protected geographical indication) and TSG (traditional speciality guaranteed) promote and protect names of quality agricultural products and foodstuffs.


PDO - covers agricultural products and foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.


PGI – covers agricultural products and foodstuffs closely linked to the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area.



TSG - highlights traditional character, either in the composition or means of production


Now Ireland has only 4 Products with one of the above labels and no further applications.

Timoleague Brown Pudding PGI
Clare Island Salmon PGI
Connemara Hill lamb ; Uain Sléibhe Chonamara PGI
Imokilly Regato PDO

Examples of how the rest of the EU Ranks(total includes registered, published and applied figures)

UK 52 examples Lough Neagh Eels, Northern Irish Lamb, Armagh Apples, Rutland Ale, Welsh Lamb, Cumberland Sausages
France 228
Poland 35 Wiśnia nadwiślanka, Suska sechlońska
Germany 97
Slovenia 22
China 10( states outside EU can apply to enter into scheme)

http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/schemes/index_en.htm

A group of producers band together and apply to the Dept of Agriculture defining there product.


Now as a consumer what food products would you like to see with the above labelling?

Some of mine would be
Wicklow Lamb
Wexford Strawberries
Galway Osyters
Pastured Reared Irish Beef

Corsendonk

Just bumping this thread, I didn't seem to get any feedback at all 5 months ago. But reading todays Sunday Times, they have an article on the subject in this thread and Richard Corrigan lobbying for Irish food priducts to carry this label as we still only have 4 products protected. Its in the main news section if anyone cares to read it.

schemingbohemia

Was also a recommendation in the Harvest 2020 report, interesting but I'm struggling to think of products that would fit.

quietsailor

ye should look over in the Soc>farming&forestry section as there is a thread running there right now about packaging and labelling (it has linked this thread already) and they can provide good feedback/information about food and its origins/destinations

Shane

Corsendonk

quietsailor wrote: »

ye should look over in the Soc>farming&forestry section as there is a thread running there right now about packaging and labelling (it has linked this thread already) and they can provide good feedback/information about food and its origins/destinations

Shane

Yes I linked it, I should have vice versa , here is the thread link
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056257326

Cardinal Richelieu

Checked the database last week to see had Irish products increased with Richard Corrigan campaign. No new ROI products but now our friends in the NI have added Comber potatoes recently. They at least see some value in protecting the production of their food products.

Cardinal Richelieu

Another NI produce product secured protected geographical indication status, Armagh Bramley Apples, to be be fair they applied quite some time ago but they seem to be racing ahead of ROI in preservation of their food and produce.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17304641

Cardinal Richelieu

Irish Times suggests that the EU Labelling geographic labels could be used to reinforce that we are buying Irish rather than buying imported food, processed in Ireland then relabeled as Irish.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0327/1224313938569.html

sculptor

See todays Sunday Times Ireland supplement pages 23, 24. It's up to us producers to get our act together.

Cardinal Richelieu

sculptor wrote: »

See todays Sunday Times Ireland supplement pages 23, 24. It's up to us producers to get our act together.

Basically that was the point of this thread when it was started in 2010. Wexford Strawberries should try to secure PDO status.