EN Official Journal of the European Union C 52/23

Publication of an 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

(2016/C 52/15)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘POULET DE L'ARDECHE’/‘CHAPON DE L'ARDECHE’

EU No: FR-PGI-0005-01296 – 29.12.2014

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal)

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

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ are free-range chickens and capons of the Gallus gallus species.

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ come from hardy, slow-growing strains. The age at slaughter must be at least 81 days for the ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’ and at least 150 days for the ‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’.

Organoleptic properties: ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ have firm, lean meat with an intense flavour and a dark colour. The colour of the skin and feet (white or yellow) varies according to the strain used.

Presentation characteristics:

— only Class A carcases are marketed as whole pieces,

— in line with tradition, the carcasses sold whole are presented with the tarsus folded away in the chest of the bird, under the sternum,

— if the carcase has been cut up, which may only be done by hand, the pieces must comply with the presentation criteria for Class A.

Types of presentation:

— gutted (minimum carcase weight = 1,3 kg for the chickens and 2,9 kg for the capons),

— ready-to-cook (minimum carcase weight without giblets and with tarsus = 1,030 kg for the chickens and 2,530 kg for the capons),

— cut.

These meats are presented fresh or deep-frozen.

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

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ are reared in the open air, with free access to a run planted with trees and naturally covered with gravel, from the age of 42 days.

Cereals make up the bulk of the animals' feed:

— In the start-up phase from the 1st to the 28th day at the most: at least 50 % cereals.

— During fattening from the 29th day inclusive to slaughter: the weighted average percentage of cereals and products derived from cereals during the fattening stage must be at least 80 %. This stage comprises the period of ‘growth’ and ‘finishing’.

Products derived from cereals may not represent more than 15 % of all cereals and products derived from cereals.

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ feed is entirely composed of plant-based products, minerals and vitamins. At least two types of cereals are used. The total proportion of fatty matter in the feed must not exceed 6 %. The feed distributed must be devoid of any medicinal substance, including coccidiostats. Only natural flora regulators are permitted.

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

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ are reared in the defined geographical area. The rearing stage covers the period from the moment the day-old chicks are placed into production until the chickens are taken to the slaughterhouse.

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

The distance between farm and slaughterhouse must be less than 100 km or the journey time between farm and slaughterhouse less than 3 hours. The cutting up of the carcases may only be done by hand. Chickens sold whole are presented with their tarsi.

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

In addition to the information required by legislation on the labelling of poultry, the label must bear:

— the designation: ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’ or ‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’,

— the European Union's IGP (PGI) logo,

— the identification of the slaughterhouse on a specific label (EEC mark) or on the weight/price label affixed to the product next to the information label.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ is situated mainly in the mountain range of the Ardèche (the Vivarais mountains) in the central-eastern part of the Massif Central. It comprises the territory of the following cantons:

The department of Ardèche (07):

All the municipalities in the cantons of: Annonay, Annonay Nord, Annonay Sud, Antraigues-sur-Volane, Burzet, Le Cheylard, Chomerac, Coucouron, Lamastre, Montpezat-sous-Bauzon, Privas, Rochemaure, Saint-Agrève, Saint-Félicien, Saint-Martin-de-Valamas, Saint-Péray, Saint-Pierreville, Satillieu, Serrières, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Vals-les-Bains, Vernoux-en-Vivarais and La Voulte-sur-Rhône. The canton of Aubenas: the municipalities of Aubenas, Mercuer and Saint-Didier-sous-Aubenas. The canton of Thueyts: the municipalities of Astet, Barnas, Chirols, Lalevade-d'Ardèche, Mayres, Meyras, Pont-de-Labeaume, Prades and Thueyts. The canton of Villeneuve-de-Berg: the municipalities of Berzème, Darbres, Lussas, Mirabel, Saint-Gineis-en-Coiron, Saint-Jean-le-Centenier, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron and Saint-Pons.

The department of Loire (42):

All the municipalities in the cantons of: Bourg-Argental, Pélussin, Saint-Chamond, Saint-Chamond Sud and Saint-Genest-Malifaux. The canton of La Grand-Croix: the municipalities of Doizieux, Farnay, La Grand-Croix, L'Horme, Lorette, Saint-Paul-en-Jarez and La Terrasse-sur-Dorlay. The canton of Rive-de-Gier: the municipalities of Châteauneuf, Pavezin, Rive-de-Gier, and Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez.

The department of Haute-Loire (43):

All the municipalities in the cantons of: Aurec-sur-Loire, Fay-sur-Lignon, Le-Monastier-sur-Gazeille, Monistrol-sur-Loire, Montfaucon-en-Velay, Le-Puy-en-Velay Est, Le-Puy-en-Velay Sud-Est, Saint-Didier-en-Velay, Saint-Julien-Chapteuil, Sainte-Sigolène, Tence and Yssingeaux. The canton of Bas-en-Basset: the municipalities of Bas-en-Basset and Malvalette. The canton of Le-Puy-en-Velay Nord: the municipalities of Chaspinhac, Malrevers and Le Monteil.

The canton of Retournac: the municipality of Retournac. The canton of Saint-Paulien: the municipalities of Lavoûte-sur-Loire and Saint-Vincent. The canton of Solignac-sur-Loire: the municipalities of Le Brignon, Cussac-sur-Loire and Solignac-sur-Loire. The canton of Vorey: the municipalities of Beaulieu, Chamalières-sur-Loire, Mézères, Rosières and Vorey.

5. Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area of the ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ consists of the massif of the Vivarais mountains, a mountainous unit which essentially covers the Ardèche, but also extends to the eastern part of the Haute-Loire and the southern part of the Loire. A characteristic of this area is that it is composed exclusively of municipalities located in mountain areas and foothills, with disadvantages linked to altitude, sloping terrain and/or climate that substantially restrict land use and in which extensive farming activities take place.

The geographical area has an upland to continental climate that varies according to the season, with significant differences in temperature, very brief shoulder seasons, and a windy environment.

The geographical area is characterised by soils formed from old volcanic rocks, granite and shale. A common feature of these rocks is that they are hard but disintegrate easily, leading to the presence of large numbers of small stones on the ground of the poultry runs.

Initiated in the 1960s in the north of the Ardèche, the development of a true local poultry industry became a reality in the 1980s, with farmers setting up the ‘Syndicat de Défense des Volailles Fermières de l'Ardèche’ in 1985.

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’, which are reared in the open air, started being produced in a natural environment poorly suited to the development of intensive crops or livestock rearing and characterised by small to medium-size family farms (35 ha on average) engaged in mixed farming (livestock rearing, fruit cultivation, red fruits, lentils) and by small areas of available land.

In order to maintain the traditional character of the poultry rearing, breeders chose to apply an extensive production method and free-range farming. For this reason, densities are limited both in buildings and in runs. The animals' feed is based on a high proportion of cereals, which corresponds to the traditional practices of Ardèche farmers, who used to supplement the ration provided by the runs with cereals from the farm cultivated on the few parcels of farmland.

In addition, the birds have free access to an open-air run, which helps to meet their need for exercise and provides them with additional feed (grass, insects). In order to make better use of the runs, which are uneven and subject to unpredictable local weather, breeders decided to plant a large number of trees (at least 30 trees of local species per 400 m2 of building), thereby encouraging the animals to venture outdoors and move about and protecting them against the sun and the wind.

Breeders also chose strains adapted to the natural conditions: rather calm as well as hardy and mobile, well adapted to the properties of the run. Furthermore, these strains are slow-growing, which means that the animals may be slaughtered when they are older than the average age at slaughter.

Limited transport time to the place of slaughter helps to protect the animal from stress.

Specificity of the product

‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ are free-range poultry.

The organoleptic tests carried out on ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ identified the following characteristics that differentiate them from other animals present on the market:

— the flesh is firmer, as regards both the white meat (fillets) and the red meat (legs),

— the meat has a lower fat content, the taste is more intense and the meat has a darker colour.

The meat is always cut manually. If sold whole, ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ are characteristically presented with the tarsus folded under the sternum.

Causal link

The causal link between the geographical area and ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ is based on the reputation of the products as well as on the rearing expertise.

In order to maintain the traditional character of the poultry rearing, breeders chose to apply a specific farm production method: free-range farming (limited densities, late slaughter, the use of runs).

The use of hardy, slow-growing strains, the choice of feed with a high proportion of cereals and the use of uneven runs that have plenty of natural grit make it possible to produce poultry with recognised flavour qualities, in particular a firm flesh and an intense taste. The high proportion of cereals is important for the deposit of intramuscular fat and consequently the flavour properties of the meat.

The unevenness of the runs helps to develop the upper muscles, in particular in the legs, and eliminate fats, thus giving ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ their low-fat character.

The slaughter of ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ at a higher-than-average age makes it possible to obtain meat that is more coloured and has more intense flavours.

Limiting the stress of the animals before slaughter preserves the final quality of the carcasses, which is also ensured by cutting the carcass manually or by presenting it whole, as is done traditionally.

The reputation of ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ is based on traditional rearing methods and the animal's organoleptic characteristics. Their reputation has been strengthened since the 1980s by the development of the sector (a hundred breeders, more than 150 buildings) and a rise in sales throughout the south-eastern quarter of France and beyond. It has been proven, in particular, by the number of prizes obtained by ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’. The chickens and capons have won several medals at the Concours général agricole (national agricultural contest): the Silver Medal in 1993, the Bronze Medal in 1996, the Silver Medal in 1997. ‘Poulet de l'Ardèche’/‘Chapon de l'Ardèche’ feature on the tables of top chefs, on the gourmet menus of Ardèche as well as in broadcasts and tourist guides presenting tasty recipes, such as: ‘suprême de poulet de l'Ardèche aux écrevisses’ (supreme of Ardèche chicken with crayfish), ‘Chapon de l'Ardèche en deux cuissons, morilles et vin jaune’ (Ardèche capon cooked in two different ways with morels and vin jaune). The involvement of farmers at the points of sale, where they talk about their production method and recipes for their products, has contributed to this success.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCPouletChapondelArdeche.pdf

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