Industry | 2009.11.04
Save British produce!
France and Italy have hundreds of foods whose names are protected. So why does the UK have only 38?
It is well known that only cheese made in Italy\'s Parma region can be called parmesan; likewise Parma ham must come from the same area. In fact, more than 300 local delicacies from France and Italy are under EU protection, while Britain has a paltry 38.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is determined to redress this balance and is leading an initiative to raise awareness of Britain\'s best speciality producers. We have a wealth of regional specialities, from Melton Mowbray pork pies, Arbroath smokies and cornish pasties to Whitstable oysters, lancashire cheese and Welsh lamb. Not forgetting Scottish farmed salmon, Yorkshire rhubarb, stilton and Kent beer. The list goes on.
Yet in 2008 more than 40% of new Protected Food Name (PFN) stamps awarded went to France and Italy (out of 27 countries in the EU). Aren\'t our regional foods up to scratch, or is it just that France and Italy have greater gastronomic pride than us and were quicker and keener to use the PFN system to their advantage? Italy has 78 PFN stamps for its cheeses alone, compared with an embarrassing 13 for the UK. Frankly, after eating my way around Neal\'s Yard several times over, I don\'t buy the cheese-mongering trouncing that those figures suggest.
There are three different levels of PFN designation under the EU guidelines. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is the most difficult to obtain. "Products must be produced, processed and prepared within a certain geographical area, and the quality or characteristics must be essentially due to that area." Lancashire and stilton wear this stamp, as do cornish clotted cream and Jersey royal potatoes. I\'d like to see Norfolk mustard, Evesham asparagus and Kentish cobnuts – among others – get this accreditation.
The next category is Protection of Geographical Indication (PGI), which comes down to local characteristics and practices, though not all the ingredients need to have come from the area. It\'s more about history and skill base and so far covers everything from Arbroath smokies to Melton Mowbray pork pies, Welsh lamb to Whitstable oysters. Others that I\'d like to see included are Yorkshire parkin, Eccles cakes and Cumberland sausage.
Finally, the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) stamp means that the food is produced using traditional methods, and is not geographically tied. The only British food that has been awarded this so far is Traditional Farm Fresh Turkeys, though Hampshire fresh flowing watercress and Wiltshire cured bacon have applications pending.
The laborious process of applying for PFN status helps to explain why small suppliers have been slow on the uptake: it can take two years or more and involves attending committees and consultations here and in Brussels.
Janet Oldroyd, who has applied for a PDO for Yorkshire forced rhubarb says that in their heyday in the 20th-century, there were more than 200 growers in what is known as the Yorkshire rhubarb triangle. "We are now down to the last 11," she says. "My family have five generations\' experience in producing this delightful but temperamental crop and I am determined we shall not be the last. PDO accreditation will help save our industry." Consumers are willing to pay 18% more for regional products with a PDO or PGI label.
But it has taken her and the other growers five years so far. "It is a time-consuming process and a daunting task."
There are no guarantees of getting the mark, and other food suppliers have the right to object, which further strings out the process. But part of Defra\'s initiative was the announcement that help is now on hand in the form of advice and assistance for the producers as they navigate the labyrinthine route to accreditation. England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales each have a dedicated representative.
Some iconic British foods have already been lost to global production: the reason cheddar cheese cannot now be stamped is that it is too large an industry to claw back. "It\'s a million dollar business in Canada and the US – uncontrollable and lost," says Irene Bocchetta, who oversees English applications. "When you protect a name, you\'re calling it back and saying, \'This is ours, and you cannot use it any more.\' That would be impossible with the cheddar industry now."
• \'Our cider vinegar can be just as good as balsamic.\' Allegra McEvedy joins Jon Dennis on the Guardian Daily podcast guardian.co.uk/audio
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2[...]ritish-produce-allegra-mcevedy
