Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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

(2019/C 216/08)

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) within three months from the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘RAGUSANO’

EU No: PDO-IT-1505-AM01- 9.10.2017

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consorzio per la tutela del formaggio Ragusano [Consortium for the Protection of Ragusano cheese] whose headquarters are based at Ragusa's Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craft Trades and Agriculture: C.C.I.A.A. di Ragusa — Piazza della Libertà — 97100 Ragusa. Tel. +39 3461532330, email: consorzioregusanodop@gmail.com certified email: certmail@pec.consorzioragusanodop.it

The Ragusano Cheese Consortium is made up of ‘Ragusano’ cheesemakers. It is authorised to submit an amendment application under Article 13(1) of Decree No 12511 of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy of 14 October 2013.

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☐ Product name — ☒ Product description — ☐ Geographical area — ☒ Proof of origin — ☒ Production method — ☒ Link — ☒ Labelling — ☒ Other [In Article 1 of the specification, the word ‘protected’ has been added before the words ‘designation of origin’; Articles 1 to 4 have been deleted and Article 7 on the inspection body, which was not included in the current specification, has been added; provisions have also been added on how the cheese is to be marketed and packaged.]

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☐ Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. — ☒ Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5. Amendment(s)

Product characteristics

In Article 3(f) of the specification, the minimum weight of the cheese has been amended.

The wording in the current specification:

‘Weight: varies from 10 to 16 kg according to the size of the cheese wheel;’

has been reworded as follows:

‘Weight: varies from 12 to 16 kg according to the size of the cheese wheel;’

This amendment increasing the minimum weight from 10 kg to 12 kg is required to adapt the specification to current production practice, which has become established over time.

In recent years, producers have chosen to produce larger cheeses. This choice better reflects the actual production practices for Ragusano, as in recent years Ragusano cheeses have invariably weighed a minimum of at least 12 kg.

Furthermore, the size of Ragusano has turned out to be one of the cheese's distinctive characteristics that enable it to be immediately identified by the consumer, also in comparison to other similar cheeses that are never as large.

The maximum percentage of moisture has been increased from 40 % to 42 %.

The wording in the current specification:

‘Maximum moisture: 40 %’

has been reworded as follows:

‘Maximum moisture: 42 %’

The percentage of moisture has been increased to make the cheese softer, which consumers have proved to prefer.

Proof of origin

Article 5 ‘Proof of origin’, which was not included in the current specifications, has been added to ensure compliance with Article 7 (d) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. Please find Article 5 below:

‘Article 5 PROOF OF ORIGIN Each stage in the production process is monitored, with all inputs and outputs being recorded. This monitoring, which includes the relevant registers, overseen by the inspection body, kept by the producers and packaging establishments, plus the regular declarations of the quantities produced to the inspection authorities, guarantees the product's traceability. All natural and legal persons recorded in the relevant lists are subject to checks by the inspection body, according to the terms of the specification and the corresponding inspection plan.’

Link

Article 6, ‘Link to the area’ has been added.

This article was not included in the current specifications but only in the summary sheet. The information added were therefore taken from the summary sheet and from the report entitled ‘Link to the area’ included in the documents submitted to the Commission. This information has been redrafted and added to ensure that the Article complies with the provisions of Article 7(1)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

Please find Article 6 below:

‘Article 6 LINK TO THE AREA The barn housing the cattle, the living area, hay loft and small cheesemaking area where the milk is made into cheese, constitute the limestone-built masserie that blend perfectly into the surrounding landscape, which is characterised by dry stone walls that unravel as far as the eye can see throughout the countryside. In the farmhouses (masserie) the cheesemaking technique used is artisanal: the wooden vat, paddle, tin-lined copper cauldron, sieve, crank, wooden moulds and small wooden laths for shaping the cheese are the simple but essential wooden and copper utensils. Ragusano is a natural product, whose qualities and specificities are intrinsically linked both to the characteristics of the raw material, i.e. the whole raw milk that captures the tastes of the pastures of the Ibleo plateau, which is rich in aromatic herbs, and to the tried and tested cheesemaking and ripening practices carried out by expert hands. Ragusano is produced during the fodder season, November-May, when the quality of the green fodder in the pastures is at its best. The natural pastureland of the Ibleo territory boosts over 100 fodder plants belonging to at least 20 different families. Each individual wild fodder plant from the Ibleo meadows makes its contribution to shaping the scents and tastes of Ragusano. The main fodder plants that are valued for their palatability to the cattle, impact on milk production and growth and nutritional qualities as fodder are Anthemis arvensis, Medicago hispida, Scorpiurus subvillosus, Astragolus hamosus, Trifolium subterraneum, Calendula arvensis, Diplotaxis erucoidese and Sinapis arvensis. The environment, milk, pasture and production method make Ragusano a very traditional cheese that, nevertheless, retains contemporary appeal, and its world, the masseria, can be described as a flowering of cultural heritage brought about by nature, history, economics and technological skill and knowledge; A whole variety of factors can influence the scent, taste, colour and nutritional qualities of traditional Ragusano. These factors can be defined as “characteristics attributable to bio-diversity”, precisely because their balanced synergy has for centuries produced a cheese that is unique throughout the world and intrinsically linked to the territory where it is produced. Ragusano is a living cheese, both in terms of the microbial population it contains and on account of all the enzymatic processes that can be observed as it matures during ripening. The definition of bio-diversity originates from this, and not just because these factors produce a cheese that stands out from other cheeses, but also and especially because it is alive in biological terms. Among the main “characteristics attributable to bio-diversity” are the production area and the related macro- and micro-environmental conditions of the territory and the natural locations where the production processes take place (stockbreeding, cheesemaking and ripening facilities). The breeds stocked, the extensive farming system and the cows' diet, which is principally composed of fodder growing wild on the pastures of the Ibleo plateau, also contribute to this bio-diversity. The traditional cheesemaking process also plays a decisive role, thanks to its specific qualities and procedure: namely the use of whole raw milk, the presence of natural microflora suitable for cheesemaking, the use of natural rennet and wooden and/or copper utensils. To this is added the process of moulding the cheese and the traditional ripening. It is obvious that these “characteristics” in fact constitute a whole host of natural processes, which are subject to a high degree of biological variability. And man, in this context, has to pit himself against nature on a daily basis to achieve the biological balance between the various processes, in order to guarantee the production of Ragusano that is of excellent quality. The breed of cattle, their stage of lactation and the various biological cycles of the fodder plants that grow wild in the meadows of the Ibleo plateau, are responsible for the frequent variations in the quality of the milk and the variations in temperature and humidity that speed up or slow down the process of treating the milk and the maturation of the curd and of the cheese: all these macro- and micro-environmental conditions play a decisive role in the selection of Ragusano's specific microflora.’

Production method

In point C of Article 3, the minimum ripening time has been added to the relevant section as this had been omitted from the current specification.

Also, the possibility has been added of ripening the cheeses using methods other than suspending them tied together with rope in pairs across beams.

The wording in the current specification:

‘The cheeses are ripened in ventilated premises and at a temperature that varies between 14 and 16 degrees centigrade, by tying the cheeses together in pairs with thin rope and hanging them up over suitable supports such as to ensure the total exposure of the entire surface of the cheese to air.’

has been reworded as follows:

‘The cheeses are ripened, for a minimum period of three months from when the cheese is moulded, in ventilated premises at a temperature that varies between 14 and 16 degrees centigrade. During the ripening process, the cheeses may be tied together with ropes and strung in pairs over suitable supports such as to ensure the total exposure of the entire surface of the cheese to air.’

The current specification omits to lay down any minimum ripening times, so a period of three months (starting from when the cheese is moulded) has been set as the minimum ripening period to ensure the product is sufficiently mature.

As regards the amendment to the ripening methods, while stating that this phase in the production must take place in premises that are sufficiently ventilated, the producers have decided that methods other than hanging the cheeses in pairs with ropes over beams can be used. In recent years, producers have with great success tried ripening the cheeses by placing them on shelves made of rounded wooden slats designed in such a way as to ensure the air can circulate. In this way, without any detrimental effects on the characteristics of the cheese, its shape remains regular and more presentable and, most importantly, easier to cut into portions than cheese ripened in the traditional manner.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned ripening method allows a lesser quantity of salt to be used in that a higher percentage of salt is needed to make the cheese more resistant and less easily deformed when it is tied and hung up for ripening. This ripening method therefore enables producers to come up with a product with a lower salt content, which is much appreciated by consumers.

Such amendments succeed in safeguarding the principles of traditional ripening methods while at the same time managing to improve the product.

In point C of Article 3, at the end of the section on moulding the cheese, the following phrase has been added:

‘During this phase a casein plaque, as depicted below, bearing the codes identifying the individual cheese, is applied to the long face, opposite the main one (bearing the firm's EC identification number, used also to ensure compliance with sanitary requirements and, where applicable, its brand name). The other two large faces of the parallelepiped are then stamped with the appropriate stamping bands to imprint the word “Ragusano” on the surface, as shown in the image below.’

This amendment is intended to regulate and harmonise the application methods for the casein, which ensures that each cheese is numbered in the interests of traceability, and for the stamping bands, which ensure that the branded cheese is easily recognisable by the consumer. Furthermore, adding such rules to the specification facilitates the work of the inspection body, which can then verify compliance with these rules.

This amendment is solely intended to improve the product's traceability and identification.

Labelling

Article 4 on labelling and packaging has been redrafted and expanded.

The wording in the current specification:

‘The designation of origin cheese “Ragusano” must bear the marking shown in Annex “A” when released for consumption to guarantee that it complies with the relevant legal provisions; this Annex constitutes an integral part of the present Decree.’

has been reworded as follows:

‘The protected designation of origin cheese “Ragusano” must bear the following marking when released for consumption to guarantee that it complies with the relevant legal provisions; at the end of the minimum ripening period, the marking is branded on the cheese's main face, alongside the firm's EC identification number and, where applicable, brand name. In addition to the EU PDO symbol, the packaging of “Ragusano” must display the following label. General description of the label The label shall contain the following information: — RAGUSANO PDO, in characters larger than all the others on the label, — identification of the producer and/or packager in accordance with the legislation in force. The specifications provided refer to the basic label — which is 8 cm × cm 8 cm in size, made up of a green square (Pantone 369 C) with rounded corners within which (centred both vertically and horizontally in relation to the square) there is a yellow rectangle (Pantone 810 C) with rounded corners — which is 7,2 cm × cm 4,2 in size. In the green space above the rectangle, centred horizontally within that space, is the inscription RAGUSANO DOP, in black characters (Pantone Process Black C) and BAUHAUS Md BT 24, 6 pt font. To the right within that same rectangle there is a white square (Pantone Transparent White) with a green border (Pantone 369 C) and rounded corners that is 3,6 cm × 3,6 cm in size, containing (centred vertically and horizontally) the logo RAGUSANO, which is 2,2 cm × 2,7 cm, while to the left are the words “Certificato da Autorità pubblica designata dal MiPAAF” (Certified by the public authority designated by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies). The green area under the rectangle is designed for the firm's name, font: ARIAL BOLD 8 pt — white (Pantone Transparent White) and address, font: ARIAL 7 pt — white (Pantone Transparent White). The above measurements refer to the basic label and are required to establish the mandatary proportions, which must always be respected, however the actual size of the label may vary: ranging from a minimum of 5 cm × 5 cm to a maximum of 12 cm × 12 cm. General characteristics of the logo The logo consists of a circle divided horizontally by a white rectangle containing the word RAGUSANO superimposed in the centre. The wording, which is longer than the diameter of the circumference, is centred both vertically and horizontally in relation to the circle. Colour: black, Pantone Process Black C, and font: BAUHAUS Md BT. The two arcs of the circle are of the same size but of different colours, the upper one is yellow (Pantone 810 C), and the lower green (Pantone 369 C). Cheese that is made exclusively from cow's milk from the Modicana breed may be labelled as “Ragusano da vacca modicana” (Ragusano from Modicana cows).’

Furthermore, a new label has been introduced that is designed to avoid any possibility of counterfeiting or misleading labelling by allowing the cheese to be more easily recognised by the consumer during the potentially problematic phase when it is put on the market.

We also wanted to allow farmers who produce ‘Ragusano’ exclusively from cow's milk of the Modicana breed to be able to indicate that on the label.

Other

In Article 1 of the current specification, the word ‘protected’ has been added before the words ‘designation of origin’.

The current wording:

‘The designation of origin “Ragusano” is granted for cheese produced in the geographical area described in Article 2 and that complies with the requirements laid down in Articles 3 and 4.’

has therefore been reworded as follows:

‘The protected designation of origin “Ragusano” is granted for cheese produced in the geographical area described in Article 2 and that complies with the requirements laid down in Articles 3 and 4.’

Articles 1 to 4 are entitled as follows: Article 1 ‘Designation’, Article 2 ‘Geographical area’, Article 3 ‘Production method’, Article 4 ‘Packaging and labelling’.

Furthermore, the following articles have been added after Article 4:

Article 5 ‘Proof of origin’, Article 6 ‘Link’ and Article 7 ‘Inspection body’, which were not included in the current specification, to ensure the specifications comply with the relevant legislation.

The article on the inspection body, which was not included in the current specifications, has been added, as stipulated in Article 7(g) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

The text of Article 7 is set out below:

‘Article 7 INSPECTION BODY Checking the compliance of Ragusano PDO cheese with the production specification is done by an inspection body in compliance with the provisions of Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. This body is the Consorzio di Ricerca per la Filiera Lattiero-Casearia, CORFILAC, whose headquarters are in Ragusa, Via Ragusa-Mare (S.P.25) — Tel. +39 0932660411 — fax +39 0932660419 — certified email: dop@pec.corfilac.it’

Packing:

The proposed amendment regulates how the cheese can be sold portioned or grated. Article 4 on packaging and labelling has therefore been redrafted as follows:

‘The designation of origin cheese “Ragusano” may be marketed whole, portioned, with or without rind, or grated. Portions of “Ragusano” are produced solely by cutting cheeses that have already been certified and their packaging must be done in such a manner that each portion bears a trace of the word “Ragusano” imprinted on the rind of the cheese by the stamping bands. The packaging of “Ragusano” that has been grated or portioned using techniques that involve scraping off or removing the rind (cubes, slices etc.) rendering illegible the word “Ragusano” imprinted on the rind, must take place exclusively in the production area defined in Article 2. The packaging of portioned or grated “Ragusano” must take place in compliance with the relevant regulations, and in all events in a manner that does not detract from the cheese's shelf-life or organoleptic characteristics.’

The current specification does not lay down how the cheese is to be released for consumption, which has led to a number of disagreements between manufacturers and inspection authorities; this amendment has accordingly been deemed necessary to clearly regulate the ways in which the cheese can be released for consumption.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘RAGUSANO’

EU No: PDO-IT-1505-AM01- 9.10.2017

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name

‘Ragusano’

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

Shape: Parallelepiped, square in cross-section, with rounded corners. Light marks may be seen on the surface left by the ropes used to hang the cheese during the ripening process;

Size: the sides of the square section vary between 15 to 18 cm; The length of the parallelepiped varies from 43 to 53 centimetres;

Weight: its weight varies from 12 to 16 kg according to the size of the cheese wheel;

External appearance: Smooth, thin, compact rind that is a golden or straw yellow in colour, tending towards brown when ripening is extended for grating cheeses. The maximum thickness of the rind is 4 mm. The rind may be coated in olive oil;

Paste: compact structure, with possible splitting occurring with extended ripening, occasionally accompanied by a few holes; When cut, the colour varies from white to more or less intense straw yellow;

Taste: very pleasant, sweet, delicate, not very sharp in the first months of ripening for table cheeses; Tending to be sharp and very tasty, after extended ripening, in cheeses for grating.

The cheese has a pleasant aroma, characteristic of the specific production process;

Fat in dry matter: no less than 40 % for cheeses intended for the cheese board; no less than 38 % for cheeses ripened for over six months;

Moisture not more than: 42 %.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The feed of the cattle that produce the milk has to be principally composed of wild plants and herbs from the Ibleo plateau, which may also be made into hay;

The designation of origin cheese ‘Ragusano’ is produced exclusively from whole, raw cow's milk.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All the stages in the production process: rearing the cattle, milking, cheesemaking and maturing must take place in the identified geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

The designation of origin cheese ‘Ragusano’ may be marketed whole, portioned, with or without rind, or grated. Portions of ‘Ragusano’ are produced solely by cutting cheeses that have already been certified and their packaging must be done in such a manner that each portion bears a trace of the word ‘Ragusano’ imprinted on the rind of the cheese by the stamping bands.

The packaging of Ragusano that has been grated or portioned using techniques that involve scraping off or removing the rind (cubes, slices etc.) rendering illegible the word Ragusano imprinted on the rind, must take place exclusively in the demarcated geographical area.

The cheese with the rind removed is a very sensitive product and the preservation of its organoleptic characteristics requires immediate packaging so as to avoid any subsequent drying; moreover, immediate packing in packaging bearing the designation of origin can better guarantee the authenticity of the product, which is obviously more difficult to identify than the cheese where the trademark is visible.

The packaging of portioned or grated ‘Ragusano’ must take place in compliance with the relevant regulations, and in all events in a manner that does not detract from the cheese's shelf-life or organoleptic characteristics.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

The protected designation of origin cheese ‘Ragusano’ must bear the following marking when released for consumption to guarantee that it complies with the relevant legal provisions;

at the end of the minimum ripening period, the marking is branded on the cheese's main face, alongside the firm's EC identification number and, where applicable, brand name.

In addition to the EU PDO symbol, the packaging of ‘Ragusano’ must display the following label.

General description of the label

The label shall contain the following information:

— RAGUSANO PDO, in characters larger than all the others on the label,

— identification of the producer and/or packager in accordance with the legislation in force.

General characteristics of the logo

The product made exclusively from cow's milk from cattle of the Modicana breed may be labelled as ‘Ragusano da vacca modicana’ (Ragusano from Modicana cows).

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where the milk used to make the ‘Ragusano’ cheese is produced and processed includes the entire territory of the municipalities of: Acate, Chiaramonte Gulfi, Comiso, Giarratana, Ispica, Modica, Monterosso Almo, Pozzallo, Ragusa, Santa Croce Camerina, Scicli and Vittoria, in the province of Ragusa and the municipalities of Noto, Palazzolo Acreide and Rosolini, in the province of Siracusa.

5. Link with the geographical area

The barn housing the cattle, the living area, hay loft and small cheesemaking area where the milk is made into cheese, constitute the limestone-built masserie that blend perfectly into the surrounding landscape, which is characterised by dry stone walls that unravel as far as the eye can see throughout the countryside. In the farmhouses (masserie) the cheesemaking technique used is artisanal: the wooden vat, paddle, tin-lined copper cauldron, sieve, crank, wooden moulds and small wooden laths for shaping the cheese are the simple but essential wooden and copper utensils. Ragusano is a natural product, whose qualities and specificities are intrinsically linked both to the characteristics of the raw material, i.e. the whole raw milk that captures the tastes of the pastures of the Ibleo plateau, which is rich in aromatic herbs, and to the tried and tested cheesemaking and ripening practices carried out by expert hands. Ragusano is produced during the fodder season, November — May, when the quality of the green fodder in the pastures is at its best. The natural pastureland of the Ibleo territory boosts over 100 fodder plants belonging to at least 20 different families. Each individual wild fodder plant from the Ibleo meadows makes its contribution to shaping the scents and tastes of Ragusano. The main fodder plants that are valued for their palatability to the cattle, impact on milk production and growth and nutritional qualities as fodder are Anthemis arvensis, Medicago hispida, Scorpiurus subvillosus, Astragolus hamosus, Trifolium subterraneum, Calendula arvensis, Diplotaxis erucoidese and Sinapis arvensis. The environment, milk, pasture and production method make Ragusano a very traditional cheese that, nevertheless, retains contemporary appeal, and its world, the masseria, can be described as a flowering of cultural heritage brought about by nature, history, economics and technological skill and knowledge; A whole variety of factors can influence the scent, taste, colour and nutritional qualities of traditional Ragusano. These factors can be defined as ‘characteristics attributable to bio-diversity’, precisely because their balanced synergy has for centuries produced a cheese that is unique throughout the world and intrinsically linked to the territory where it is produced. Ragusano is a living cheese, both in terms of the microbial population it contains and on account of all the enzymatic processes that can be observed as it matures during ripening. The definition of bio-diversity originates from this, and not just because these factors produce a cheese that stands out from other cheeses, but also and especially because it is alive in biological terms.

Among the main ‘characteristics attributable to bio-diversity’ are the production area and the related macro- and micro-environmental conditions of the territory and the natural locations where the production processes take place (stockbreeding, cheesemaking and ripening facilities). The breeds stocked, the extensive farming system and the cows' diet, which is principally composed of fodder growing wild on the pastures of the Ibleo plateau, also contribute to this bio-diversity. The traditional cheesemaking process also plays a decisive role, thanks to its specific qualities and procedure: namely the use of whole raw milk, the presence of natural microflora suitable for cheesemaking, the use of natural rennet and wooden and/or copper utensils. To this is added the process of moulding the cheese and the traditional ripening. It is obvious that these ‘characteristics’ in fact constitute a whole host of natural processes, which are subject to a high degree of biological variability. And man, in this context, has to pit himself against nature on a daily basis to achieve the biological balance between the various processes, in order to guarantee the production of Ragusano that is of excellent quality.

The breed of cattle, their stage of lactation and the various biological cycles of the fodder plants that grow wild in the meadows of the Ibleo plateau, are responsible for the frequent variations in the quality of the milk and the variations in temperature and humidity that speed up or slow down the process of treating the milk and the maturation of the curd and of the cheese: all these macro- and micro-environmental conditions play a decisive role in the selection of Ragusano's specific microflora.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The consolidated text of the product specification can be consulted on the following website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità’ (at the top right of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all'esame dell'UE’.

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.