EN Official Journal of the European Union C 53/10

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 53/07)

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

‘PINTADE DE L’ARDECHE’

EU No: FR-PGI-0005-01297 – 29.12.2014

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Pintade 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

‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is a guinea fowl — a bird belonging to the Galliformes order — bred outdoors.

‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ comes from robust, slow-growing strains. The age at slaughter must be at least 94 days.

The feet and plumage of ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ are grey.

Organoleptic properties: firm, lean meat with an intense taste and a dark colour.

Presentation characteristics:

— only Class-A carcasses are marketed as whole pieces;

— in line with tradition, carcasses sold whole are presented with the tarsi folded inside the chest of the bird, under the sternum;

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

Types of presentation:

— gutted (minimum carcass weight = 1,1 kg);

— ready-to-cook (minimum weight of an eviscerated carcass without giblets and with tarsi = 0,880 kg);

— 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)

From the age of 56 days at the most, ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is raised in the open air, with free access to a run planted with trees and naturally covered with gravel.

The feed is composed 100 % of plants, minerals and vitamins. At least two types of cereals are present in the feed. The total amount of fatty matter in the feed is limited to 6 %.

Share of cereals in the feed for ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’:

— during the start-up phase, from day 1 to 28 at the most: a minimum of 50 % of cereals;

— during the fattening stage, from the 29th day inclusive to slaughter: the weighted average percentage of cereals and products derived from cereals during the fattening stage must be greater than or equal to 80 %. This stage includes the period of ‘growth’ and ‘finish’.

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

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 defined geographical area

‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is bred in the defined geographical area. The breeding stage corresponds to the period between the placing of day-old chicks into production and the removal of guinea fowl intended for 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. If the carcasses are cut, it may only be done manually. Poultry 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 compulsory information provided for by legislation on the labelling of poultry, the label must bear:

— the designation: ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’;

— The European Union PGI logo.

The identification of the slaughterhouse on a specific label (EEC stamp) or on the weight/price label affixed to the packaging next to the information label.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is situated principally 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, Malvalette. The canton of Le-Puy-en-Velay Nord: the municipalities of Chaspinhac, Malrevers, 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, Solignac-sur-Loire. The canton of Vorey: the municipalities of Beaulieu, Chamalières-sur-Loire, Mézères, Rosières, Vorey.

5. Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area of ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ consists of the massif of the Vivarais mountains, a mountainous unit covering principally the Ardèche but also overlapping the eastern part of the Haute-Loire and the southern part of the Loire. One of the characteristics of this area is that it is composed exclusively of municipalities located in mountain areas and foothills, with disadvantages linked to altitude, slopes and/or climate that substantially restrict land use, and in which extensive farming activities are being developed.

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

Furthermore, the soils of the geographical area are formed from ancient volcanic rocks, granites and shale. A common feature of these rocks is that they are hard but easily slakable, 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.

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

In order to maintain the traditional character of guinea fowl breeding, 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 guinea fowl 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 guinea fowl 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 robust and mobile, well adapted to the properties of the run. Furthermore, these strains are slow-growing, which means that the guinea fowl may be slaughtered when they are older than the average age at slaughter (close to sexual maturity).

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

Specificity of the product

‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is a guinea fowl bred outdoors.

The organoleptic tests carried out on ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ identified the following characteristics that differentiate it from other guinea fowl 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, ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is characteristically presented with the tarsi folded under the sternum.

Causal link

The causal link between the geographical area and ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is based on the reputation of the products as well as on the breeding know-how.

In order to maintain the traditional character of poultry farming, 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 gustatory 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 gustatory 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 ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ its low-fat character.

The slaughter of ‘Pintade 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 ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ is based on traditional breeding methods and the animal’s organoleptic characteristics. Its reputation has been strengthened since the 1990s by the development of the sector (a hundred breeders, more than 150 buildings) and the sales carried out throughout the south-eastern quarter of France and beyond. It has been proven, in particular, by the number of prizes obtained by ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’. The guinea fowl has won several medals at the Concours général agricole (general agricultural fair): the Gold Medal in 1993, the Bronze Medal in 1994, the Bronze Medal in 1996, the Bronze Medal in 1997. ‘Pintade de l’Ardèche’ features 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 pintade de l’Ardèche farci aux châtaignes’ and ‘pintade de l’Ardèche aux langoustines et palourdes’. 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/CDCPintadedelArdeche.pdf

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