Publication of an Amendment Application Pursuant To
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17.9.2014 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 319/23 OTHER ACTS EUROPEAN COMMISSION Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2014/C 319/10) This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application, pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1). AMENDMENT APPLICATION COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2) AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9 ‘OSSAU-IRATY’ EC No: FR-PDO-0417-01096 — 15.2.2013 PGI ( ) PDO ( X ) 1. Heading in the specification affected by the amendment — Name of product — Description of product — Geographical area — Proof of origin — Method of production — Link — Labelling — National requirements — Other (to be specified) 2. Type of amendment(s) — Amendment to Single Document or Summary Sheet — Amendment to Specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the Single Document nor the Summary Sheet has been published. — Amendment to Specification that requires no amendment to the published Single Document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) — Temporary amendment to Specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by the public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) 3. Amendment(s) 1. Description of product A more precise cheese description is added: the cheese is produced only from non-standardised ewe’s milk; it is salted and matured, and cylindrical in shape. (1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. (2) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. C 319/24 EN Official Journal of the European Union 17.9.2014 The different cheese formats (mould size and weights) are clarified. The following is added: ‘“Ossau-Iraty” may be sold in pre-packaged portions provided that each portion includes the rind that is character istic of the PDO and a label with the information specified in point 8.’ This allows ‘Ossau-Iraty’ to be more clearly distinguished from other pressed cheeses produced in the region which may be sold without a label. 2. Evidence that the product originates from the geographical area Paragraphs are added regarding maintaining product registers, product identification and compulsory declarations that operators must make. They define the information that must be registered, and the requirements for PDO operators to ensure traceability. One paragraph regarding product identification is added: ‘Each cheese must be identifiable. This is ensured by adding an embossed label during cheese moulding. The label is scraped off cheeses that do not make the grade.’ Such identification is a means of distinguishing PDO-designated products from others as early as possible during cheese manufacturing, before labels are added. 3. Method of production — The means of maintaining grazing areas are specified: ‘The permitted forms of organic fertiliser are: compost, dung, slurry, liquid manure of agricultural origin, co-compost from green waste, sewage sludge, and dairy waste. In summer pasture areas, only animal waste from animals in pens may be spread on pasture land. The spreading of sewage sludge is permitted only under the following conditions: it must be ploughed into land immediately and a latency period of at least eight weeks must be observed after spreading; each lot must be analytically monitored. In grassland areas, the average annual level of mineral fertilisation is limited to 100 units of nitrogen, 60 units of phosphorus, and 100 units of potassium per hectare.’ These measures are intended to limit intensive and excessive fertilisation, which risks upsetting the balance for natural flora in grassland areas and summer pastures and polluting watercourses. The spreading of sewage sludge is tolerated only under certain conditions, as such products are liable to introduce undesirable substan ces into the soil, which risk filtrating into forage. — The terms ‘herd’ (all sheep present on a dairy holding) and ‘ewe’ (female sheep aged over 6 months on 1 November) are defined. — The following is added: ‘Genetically modified animals are prohibited’ in order to protect the local characteristics of breeds. — The following is added: ‘The milking period for the entire herd may not exceed 265 days per year, and milking is prohibited in the months of September and October.’ That measure ensures that milk production is seasonal and avoids any temptation to modify the seasonal pat tern, fixing a compulsory ‘dry’ period which is required for ewes to be in good condition before lambing. — The following is added: ‘Over one milk production year (1 November to 31 October the following year), aver age milk production per herd may not exceed 300 litres per ewe and the average useful dry matter must be greater than 110 grams per litre of milk.’ Given that the production of ‘Ossau-Iraty’ naturally relies on an extensive supply chain, milk production per ewe is restricted to avoid overly intensive farming. Fixing a minimum level for useful dry matter (UDM) is intended to encourage breeders to select animals that produce quality milk, rather than animals that produce milk in great quantities. — The following is added: ‘The cultivation of GMO crops on holdings is prohibited, covering all types of plant likely to be given as feed to animals on the holding and all crops liable to contaminate such plants.’ That requirement is intended to limit the risk of grass crops becoming contaminated, as genetically modified foodstuffs are prohibited for ruminants on holdings. The aim is to maintain the traditional feeding pattern associated with ‘Ossau-Iraty’ – a cheese with a strong reputation as a mountain product. 17.9.2014 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 319/25 — As regards the animal feed, the following: ‘feeding is primarily based on grazing in the pastures where the ani mals are kept in the summer and lactation, forage grass, and secondary cereal crops’ is replaced by the following paragraphs: — ‘Herd feeding patterns are based on the following: — feed must be sourced primarily from the identified geographical area. Feed (except grass) from areas other than that area is limited to an average of 280 kg of dry matter per ewe per milk production year; — ewes must be allowed to graze at least 240 days per milk production year; — during milking periods, on days when ewes do not graze, they must receive a daily ration of at least 600 grams of dry matter sourced from the identified geographical area, as defined in point 3 below.’ In order to strengthen the link with the geographical area, most of the feed consumed by the ewes comes from the identified geographical area. If there were not any measures setting a daily minimum, fodder from outside the geo graphical area could be used for a period of four months, or even longer during production peaks. The introduction of a minimum grazing period strengthens the link between the product and its geographical area, in keeping with traditional, regional breeding methods. The local species are indeed particularly well adapted to grazing all year round, and they need exercise to stay healthy. The chosen grazing period — equivalent to eight months out of twelve — is compatible with mountain conditions. — The following is added: ‘— The basic feed ration comprises grass, forage comprising fresh, dry and dehydrated long blades of grass, straw and fermented grass-based fodder. The straw is not treated with ammonia. Farms may use the following as fresh fodder: fodder beet, turnips, radishes, fodder cabbages, rapeseed fodder, and grass. Properly harvested green fodder must arrive at farms in a fresh state. It must not be allowed to heat up before it is fed to livestock. Leftovers must be cleared out of feeding troughs before new green fodder is added.’ These measures ensure that the feed allows ewes to maintain their ruminant characteristics. The feeding regime is defined primarily by the composition of the basic ration, then by feed supplements and concentrates. — The following is added: ‘— Fermented fodder in herd feeding regimes during milking periods: until 31 January 2018, the portion of fermented fodder per ewe per day is limited to an average of 1,5 kg gross weight of maize silage and 1 kg gross weight of baled grass or grass silage; baled grass must comprise at least 70 % dry matter. As of 1 February 2018, silage feeding is prohibited and baled grass feed is permitted up to an average gross weight of 1 kg per ewe per day, provided that the baled grass comprises at least 70 % dry matter.’ The aim is to safeguard the milk’s characteristics. The use of fermented fodder, which is liable to lead to certain forms of microbial contamination, is therefore limited. The use of baled grass is an alternative to hay in the event of wet weather. The rule will require an implementation period to allow certain milk producers to introduce a feeding regime allowing for the prohibition of silage fodder during milking periods. The following is added: ‘— Producers are allowed to mix feed types on their holding under certain conditions: — feed types listed in point 5.2.6 may be mixed; — feed included in the basic ration may be mixed with feed listed in 5.2.6, provided that this takes place on the date of distribution; — it is prohibited to supply feed mixtures comprising feed in the basic ration and feed from the list of raw materi als authorised as supplements to the basic ration, as defined in 5.2.6’. This measure is intended to avoid the use of commercial full-feed products, since breeders do not know where they come from or often what is in them, and their use would sever the farming link with the geographical area.