EN Official Journal of the European Union C 182/16

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

2013/C 182/18

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

‘TERNERA GALLEGA’

EC No: ES-PGI-0105-0012-04.06.2010

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Heading in the specification affected by the amendment

—  Name — ☒ Description — ☒ Geographical area — ☒ Proof of origin — ☒ Method of production —  Link —  Labelling —  National requirements —  Other (to be specified)

2. Type of modification

— ☒ Amendment to Single Document or Summary Sheet —  Amendment to Specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the Single Document nor the Summary 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 public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

3. Modifications

3.1. Description

An amendment is made regarding the breeds of cattle suitable for supplying meat covered by the PGI. The list is opened up to a number of other breeds traditionally used in Galicia and their crosses and when crossed with heifers of the Friesian and brown Swiss dairy breeds.

Most cattle covered by the ‘Ternera Gallega’ PGI are predominantly of the Galician blond and Galician brown breeds and are found both in farms with mothers whose purpose is to produce animals for slaughter and also on dairy farms as industrial crosses. Nonetheless, they frequently coexist with other cattle breeds with a foothold in Galicia, such as the Asturiana de los Valles, Limousin and Blonde d'Aquitaine breeds and their crosses. For this reason, their inclusion in the ‘Ternera Gallega’ PGI is considered necessary in order to help ensure the viability of the farms and to develop production in the sector given that the quality and characteristics of the meat covered by the PGI fundamentally depend on how the animals are reared, fed and handled; the practice is the same no matter the breed.

An amendment is made to the types of animals on the basis of their age, feed and the system of production so that for these types of veal (animals under the age of 10 months) a distinction is made between animals reared on their mothers' milk and whose meat is marketed under the ‘Suprema’ category, and those calves taken from their mothers at different ages. Also, the ‘cebón’ type (of fattened calf) is deleted. The purpose of these amendments is to increase the transparency and clarity of transactions at origin, as well as consumer information on the meat covered by the ‘Ternera Gallega’ PGI.

The conformation of the carcasses and the characteristics of the meat are modified to take account of the variations found in the types of animals.

3.2. Geographical area

The area of production is extended to municipalities and parishes bordering the area in which the product is processed: the region of Galicia.

3.3. Proof of origin

The following amendments are introduced with the purpose of updating and adapting checks, traceability, and the conditions in which the product is made and processed in its various stages, and to improve procedures for certification and labelling.

— Meat wholesalers and retailers are added to the existing list of cattle farms, fattening farms, slaughterhouses and cutting plants.

— The individual identification of the animals is brought into line with the official system applied by the Administration.

— The system for certifying the product is laid down in a quality manual containing procedures and instructions drawn up in accordance with the specifications of the PGI which lay down the conditions for obtaining it and the checks that are made in the various stages of production, slaughter, cutting, filleting and marketing. Traceability checks using an analysis of molecular markers (DNA) are introduced.

— The documents that registered operators must carry and maintain are updated. According to their activity, these will include the entry and exit of raw materials and products, together with the information required to demonstrate traceability on an individual basis or for certified lots.

3.4. Method of production

Production methods are amended to take account of rules on animal welfare on farms, during transportation and at the time of slaughter.

The concentrated feed used must be of plant origin and be composed of raw materials habitually used in Galician cattle farming, from the following groups:

— cereals and their derivatives,

— oilseeds and their derivatives,

— pulses and their derivatives,

— tubers, roots and their derivatives,

— fodder,

— other plants and their derivatives,

— minerals,

— various (bread products and by-products and similar).

Cereals predominate in the composition of the feed and the following percentages must be included in the total weight of the feed: a minimum of 60 % of exclusively cereal grain, or a minimum of 65 % of cereal grain and derivatives.

In the case of concentrated feed intended for very young animals, these percentages can be reduced by 5 %.

In order to monitor the feed, feed producers will conclude an agreement with the Council for the Protected Geographical Indication of ‘Ternera Gallega’.

Updates are made to the specific conditions for the processing, storage and labelling of the protected meat as regards matters pertaining to traceability, checks on processes and document management.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (3)

‘TERNERA GALLEGA’

EC No: ES-PGI-0105-0012-04.06.2010

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1. Title

‘Ternera Gallega’

2. Member State or third country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Product type

Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal)

3.2. Description of product to which the name in point 1 applies

Fresh meat and offal from cattle from the Galician blond and Galician brown breeds and their crosses and also cattle which are the result of crosses with the following breeds: Asturiana de los Valles, Limousin and Blonde d'Aquitaine. Males of any breed crossed with heifers of the Friesian and brown Swiss breeds are also suitable.

A distinction is made between the following types of animals on the basis of their age, feed and the system of production:

(a) ‘Ternera’: animals slaughtered before they have reached the age of 10 months, with two subcategories: (i) ‘Ternera Gallega Suprema’: animals reared on farms with their mothers and which have been fed on their mother's milk for no less than 7 months; (ii) ‘Ternera Gallega’: calves taken from their mothers at different ages and for which the basis of the calves' feed is fodder and concentrates authorised by the Council for the Protected Geographical Indication of ‘Ternera Gallega’;

(b) Baby-beef: animals slaughtered after they have reached the age of 10 months but before the age of 18 months.

Each of these animals is given its corresponding, homonymous marketing category with the following organoleptic, conformation and fat content characteristics:

(a) ‘Ternera Gallega Suprema’: Meat with a light pink to red colour with fat that varies from a pearly-white colour to a soft yellow with a creamy texture; the muscles contain fine fibres and have a firm consistency; Carcass conformation: S, E, U, R, O+; where the carcasses are from cattle of the Galician brown breed this will not apply; Degree of fat cover: Males 2, 3; females 2, 3, 4;

(b) ‘Ternera Gallega’: Meat with a pink to delicate red colour with evenly distributed fat of a pearly-white colour and muscles with fine fibres and a firm consistency; Carcass conformation: S, E, U, R, O+; where the carcasses are from cattle of the Galician brown breed this will not apply; Degree of fat cover: Males 2, 3; females 2, 3, 4;

(c) Baby-beef: Meat with a colour varying from a delicate to a bright red with white fat that has a delicate yellow tinge; the muscle has a firm, lean consistency; Carcass conformation: S, E, U, R; Degree of fat cover: 2, 3, 4.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

In the case of traditional farms, the basis of the feed will be the mothers' milk, which can be supplemented by cereals — mainly maize, potatoes, turnips, fodder and concentrated feed. In the case of production holdings, the feed will be based on fodder and concentrated feed.

At all events, the concentrated feed used must be of plant origin and be composed of raw materials habitually used in Galician cattle farming, from the following groups:

— cereals and their derivatives,

— oilseeds and their derivatives,

— pulses and their derivatives,

— tubers, roots and their derivatives,

— fodder,

— other plants and their derivatives,

— minerals,

— various (bread products and by-products and similar).

Cereals predominate in the composition of the feed and the following percentages must be included in the total weight of the feed: a minimum of 60 % of exclusively cereal grain, or a minimum of 65 % of cereal grain and derivatives.

In the case of concentrated feed intended for very young animals, these percentages can be reduced by 5 %.

The use of products that could interfere with the animals' normal rate of growth and development, as well as the use of recycled animal derivatives, is expressly forbidden.

In order to monitor the feed, feed producers will conclude an agreement with the Council for the Protected Geographical Indication of ‘Ternera Gallega’.

3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The birth, rearing, fattening and sacrifice of the animals and the cutting of the carcasses must take place in the defined geographical area in order to preserve the specific nature of the product and to control production conditions and traceability.

All the operators which intervene in the production and processing must be registered at the Council for the Protected Geographical Indication of ‘Ternera Gallega’. The registers cover the following: cattle farms, fattening farms, slaughterhouses and cutting plants and meat wholesalers and retailers.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

Certified carcasses may not be placed on the retail market before the day following the slaughter as a minimum.

Carcasses, quarters or certified pieces of meat that are frozen will no longer qualify for the Protected Geographical Indication.

The cutting of meat and the preparation of the pieces covered by the PGI may not be carried out at the same time as for meat not covered by the Protected Geographical Indication. PGI meat must be stored in such a way as to prevent it being mixed up with other pieces or portions.

Certified meat may be filleted, packaged and labelled on industrial premises registered at the Council and also in specific establishments at the final points of sale, provided that these first sign a collaboration agreement with the Council covering the control, labelling and marketing of the meat.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

All the carcasses, pieces and portions will be labelled for purposes of identification and traceability. These are attached to the product in each of the stages of production (slaughter, cutting and/or filleting). These labels have different colours according to the product type mentioned in paragraph 3.2 on the product description and contain the compulsory indications and also the following: the name and logo of ‘Ternera Gallega’, the PGI European logo and traceability information. Aside from the labels, each half-carcasse will be provided with a document giving information on the farm of origin, its identification and animal type, age at slaughter, classification and carcasse weight, slaughterhouse and date of slaughter.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

Protected Geographical Indication of ‘Ternera Gallega’ will apply to the entire region of Galicia.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

The land features rounded hills and an extensive river system. This, together with the Atlantic climate, plentiful rainfall and mild temperatures helps produce a significant amount of forage and crops. The land's productive capacity has had a positive impact in developing a high degree of cattle rearing in the region and the creation of a large production and processing industry in which beef plays a particularly central role.

This livestock activity has historically been founded on family farms in which traditional know-how as regards rearing techniques, feed and stock management were passed on from one generation to the next.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The presence of breeds suitable for beef production, including the Galician blond in particular, originally a ‘triple use’ breed but with beef production predominating, have been at the heart of a productive system of typically small farms which make use of the resources that these themselves generate: milk, fodder, agricultural crops such as cereals (mainly maize), potatoes, turnips, etc.

Historically, animals have been slaughtered in Galicia before they reach the age of 10 months. This means that their carcasses weigh little and their meat has clearly distinct organoleptic characteristics as regards tenderness, colour, texture and succulence. A large number of calves are given a diet in which their mother's milk is the principal element. This adds certain nuances to the characteristics mentioned in connection with the appearance of the meat (e.g. fat colour and a creamy texture) and its taste. These animals and the meat they produce are classed as ‘Suprema’ within the PGI as opposed to the generic ‘Ternera Gallega’, which applies to the others.

Although to a lesser extent, Galicia also produces meat from older animals which are reared on family farms as well. This production is founded on an increased use of the genetic capacity of these breeds of cattle and forage-type feed, as well as stores of maize and cereals. The meat produced by such animals is set apart by its more intense colour, more regular consistency and taste.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

The inhabitants of Galicia have used cattle as a source of meat and fat since ancient times. The cattle were typically rustic, small and adapted to the mountains. However, following the introduction of potatoes and maize from the Americas, they became fatter and could be used for agricultural purposes and meat and milk production. The cattle's versatility was a key reason why land ownership started to take root since the cattle provided families not only with food to eat but also made them a profit that could be used to buy land.

In the 18th century, Galician cattle were very important as regards meat exports to England, a practice that continued until the beginning of the 20th century. Later, and until near the end of the 1960s, Galicia provided beef to much of Spain; today, it is the most important farming activity from a social perspective and does more than any other farming activity to prevent flight from the land.

‘Ternera Gallega’ is produced on family farms that respect the local cattle-rearing traditions and the history behind them, with a permanent focus on quality. These are farms in which a special symbiosis exists between the cow, the calf and the environment, under the knowledgeable eye and care of Galician cattle farmers. They have inherited systems of production passed on through the generations over the centuries, founded on using the resources available on the farm itself and a specific way of caring for the animals, which are a central to the story and participate fully in it. This has always helped them to obtain agricultural products of an exceptional quality, which has given this meat a great reputation on the Spanish market.

Reference to the publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4))

http://www.medioruralemar.xunta.es/uploads/media/Pliego_de_condiciones_Ternera_Gallega_enero_2013.pdf

(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.

(3) Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(4) See footnote 3.