From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, today announced that the application for an all-island Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for Irish Grass Fed Beef has successfully concluded. The final stage came with the publication of the EU Regulation registering the PGI today in the Official Journal of the European Union confirming that it will enter into force on the twentieth day following publication.
Minister McConalogue said:
“I am delighted with the news that Irish beef has achieved this special recognition by the European Union. This is the culmination of almost four years work by us to achieve this. I acknowledge the commitment and efforts of everyone who has worked so hard to attain this important status for our quality beef product: the joint applicants, Bord Bia and the Livestock and Meat Commission, stakeholders who participated in the national opposition procedure, my own department who guided the drafting of the Bord Bia application and their counterparts DAERA in Northern Ireland, and DEFRA in the UK as well as the European Commission who worked on the application.
"It has been some time since this application process was first initiated in 2019, when my department brought together stakeholders and state agencies, following which it was agreed that Bord Bia would draft the application on behalf of producers and processors. I’m particularly delighted that this will apply on an all-island basis and include farmers both here and in Northern Ireland also. This is a great example of the close cooperation on agriculture matters between my department with our Northern Ireland and UK counterparts. This cross border PGI status is occurring at an important time in our trading relationship since Brexit. It is wonderful that this PGI presents important opportunities for farmers and processors North and South.”
Minister McConalogue added:
“This PGI status will help differentiate Irish beef’s premium position in key markets, due to the exceptional quality and sustainability of our pasture-based production system and bring added value to our beef. My immediate priority is to work with Bord Bia and stakeholders to ensure maximum benefits can be derived from Irish Grass Fed Beef’s protected status for farmers, processors and exporters and our economy.”
Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia Chief Executive commented:
"Irish Grass Fed Beef now joins an illustrious club of European food and drink products afforded protected geographical status. Today’s official announcement is positive news for the Irish beef sector and is warmly welcomed by Bord Bia. From spring 2024, we plan to embark on a marketing campaign to promote the PGI for Irish grass-fed beef to key customers in European markets. The initial focus will be around building awareness among trade customers, followed by targeted consumer marketing when product is available in market. PGI status is widely recognised in continental markets, and Bord Bia will leverage this opportunity for the benefit of Irish beef farmers and the wider beef sector.”
Geographical Indications are a type of intellectual property right, protecting food product names which are linked to a particular territory or to a production method. The EU’s Geographical Indications scheme is beneficial to producers as it allows for the identification and protection of names of specific agricultural products which have particular value adding characteristics linked to their place of origin. GI recognition enables consumers to trust and distinguish quality products while also helping producers to market their products.
“Protected Geographical Indication” (PGI) is a name which identifies a product: (a) originating in a specific place, region or country; (b) whose given quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its defined area of origin; and (c) at least one of the production steps of which take place in the defined geographical area.
“Irish Grass Fed Beef” includes cattle that:
(a) Derive at least 90% of their feed intake (as determined by the Grass Fed Beef Standard) from grass. This is primarily grazed grass, with winter feeding of conserved grass (silage and hay).
(b) Spend a minimum of 220 days per year throughout their lifetime grazing pasture.
In addition
Only carcases from certain higher-grade beef animals are eligible to be classified as “Irish Grass Fed Beef” as follows:
(i) Steers and heifers aged up to 36 months with conformation better than O- and fat score between 2+ and 4+ and
(ii) Beef cows of up to 120 months with conformation better than O+ and with fat score between 2+ and 5.
Ireland has eight registered PDO/PGI food product names -Clare Island Salmon (PGI), Imokilly Regato (PDO), Timoleague Brown Pudding (PGI), Connemara Hill Lamb (PGI), Waterford Blaa (PGI), Oriel Sea Salt (PDO), Oriel Sea Minerals (PDO) and Sneem Black Pudding (PGI).
Three spirit drink names, Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín, have GI status.