Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification pursuant to Article 50(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2021/C 396/15)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (1) of the European Parliament and of the Council within three months from the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF TRADITIONAL SPECIALITIES GUARANTEED WHICH IS NOT MINOR

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

‘ZIEGEN-HEUMILCH’/‘GOAT’S HAYMILK’/‘LATTE FIENO DI CAPRA’/‘LAIT DE FOIN DE CHÈVRE’/‘LECHE DE HENO DE CABRA’

EU No: TSG-AT-2290-AM01 – 25 February 2021

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Name of the group: ARGE Heumilch Österreich

Address: Grabenweg 68, A-6020 Innsbruck

Tel. +43 512345245

email address: office@heumilch.at

Statement on the legitimate interest of the group:

The application for an amendment is being submitted by the producer group that submitted the application for registration of ‘Goat’s Haymilk’.

The indication of the designation ‘Goat’s Haymilk’ in the languages of countries with a tradition of producing ‘Goat’s Haymilk’ constitutes a commitment to the traditional production method and the traditional speciality guaranteed. In doing so, it helps strengthen the protected designation ‘Goat’s Haymilk’, which also benefits the applicant group.

2. Member State or Third Country

Austria

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendments

☒ Name of product

☐ Description of product

☐ Method of production

☒ Other. [to be specified]

4. Type of amendment(s)

☒ Amendment to product specification of registered TSG not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5. Amendments

1. Addition of the Slovenian designation for ‘Goat’s Haymilk’:

In point ‘1. Name(s) to be registered’, the Slovenian designation for ‘Haymilk’ is added, together with an indication of the respective languages (de, en, it, fr, es, sl):

‘Ziegen-Heumilch’ (de)/‘Goat’s Haymilk’ (en)/‘Latte fieno di capra’ (it)/‘Lait de foin de chèvre’ (fr)/‘Leche de heno de cabra’ (es)/‘Kozje seneno mleko’ (sl)

Reason: As ‘Goat’s Haymilk’ is produced in Slovenia following the traditional production method set out in the product specification, the Slovenian designation should also be protected. Indicating the respective languages makes it clear in which languages the designation is protected as a TSG.

2. Replacing the word ‘holding’ with ‘livestock holding’, and addition of the word ‘livestock holding’:

— In point 4.2., ‘Heumilchregulativ’, second paragraph, the term ‘holding’ is replaced by the term ‘livestock holding’:

— Previous wording: ‘The entire agricultural holding must be managed according to these rules of haymilk production.’

— New wording: ‘The entire agricultural livestock holding must be managed according to these rules of haymilk production.’

— In point 4.2., ‘Other provisions’, the term ‘livestock holding’ is added under each indent: Previous wording: ‘— No silage (fermented feed) may be produced or stored. — No film-wrapped round bales of any type may be produced or stored. — No damp hay or fermented hay may be produced.’ New wording: ‘— No silage (fermented feed) may be produced or stored at the livestock holding. — No film-wrapped round bales of any type may be produced or stored at the livestock holding. — No damp hay or fermented hay may be produced at the livestock holding.’

Reason: The changes are for clarification purposes.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED

‘Ziegen-Heumilch’/‘Goat’s Haymilk’/‘Latte fieno di capra’/‘Lait de foin de chèvre’/‘Leche de heno de cabra’/‘Kozje seneno mleko’

EU No: TSG-AT-2290-AM01 – 25 February 2021

‘Austria’

1. Name(s)

‘Ziegen-Heumilch’/‘Goat’s Haymilk’/‘Latte fieno di capra’/‘Lait de foin de chèvre’/‘Leche de heno de cabra’/‘Kozje seneno mleko’

2. Type of product

Class 1.4. Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)

3. Grounds for registration

3.1. Whether the product:

☒ results from a mode of production, processing or composition corresponding to traditional practice for that product or foodstuff;

☐ is produced from raw materials or ingredients that are those traditionally used.

Haymilk production is the most natural form of milk production. - The milk comes from animals on traditional, sustainable dairy farms. The key difference between standard milk and haymilk, and haymilk’s traditional character, stems from the fact that as in the earliest form of milk production, the animals are not given any fermented feed. Since the 1960s, and due to mechanisation, the industrialisation of farming has increasingly relied upon the production of silage (fermented feed), thus reducing dry-fodder farming. Moreover, regulations forbid the use of animals and feed which are to be identified as ‘genetically modified’ under prevailing legislation. The feeding procedure is adapted to match seasonal changes: in the ‘green-feeding period’, animals are fed fresh grass and foliage and some hay and forms of feed permitted under point 4.2; in the winter period, animals are fed hay or other forms of feed permitted under point 4.2.

3.2. Whether the name:

☐ has been traditionally used to refer to the specific product;

☒ identifies the traditional character or specific character of the product.

Goat’s haymilk production and processing is as old as the tradition of goat farming (dating back to around the 11th century BC). Goat farming was widespread in the foothills of the Alps and the Tyrolean mountains in the Middle Ages, on small-scale Alpine dairy farms called ‘Schwaighöfe’. The labourers on these farms often took goats with them as a source of milk on rugged mountain meadows that were particularly far from the farms. The word ‘Schwaig’ comes from Middle High.

German and denotes a special form of settlement and, in particular, farming in the Alpine region. ‘Schwaighof’ farms were often established as permanent settlements by land-owners and their cattle stock was primarily used for dairy farming (particularly for cheese production). Evidence of their presence in Tyrol dates back to the twelfth century. In certain areas of the Alps where farms were divided equally among heirs, small-scale valley farmers would keep goats to supply them with milk.

4. Description

4.1. Description of the product to which the name under point 1 applies, including its main physical, chemical, microbiological or organoleptic characteristics showing the product’s specific character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

Goat’s milk in accordance with the applicable legislation.

4.2. Description of the production method of the product to which the name under point 1 applies that the producers must follow including, where appropriate, the nature and characteristics of the raw materials or ingredients used, and the method by which the product is prepared (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

‘Goat’s Haymilk’ is produced according to traditional production conditions that comply with the ‘Heumilchregulativ’ (regulations on haymilk production). This form of milk is distinguished by rules forbidding the use of fermented feed, such as silage, and of animals and feed which are to be identified as ‘genetically modified’ under prevailing legislation.

‘Heumilchregulativ’

‘Goat’s Haymilk’ is a form of goat’s milk produced by dairy farmers who have undertaken to comply with the following criteria. No animals or feed which are to be identified as ‘genetically modified’ under prevailing legislation may be used.

The entire agricultural livestock holding must be managed according to these rules of haymilk production.

Permitted types of feed

— The animals are mainly fed fresh grass, leguminous plants and foliage during the ‘green-feeding period’ and hay in the winter period.

— The following are included and permitted as further roughage: green rapeseed, green maize, green rye and fodder beets, as well as hay, lucerne and maize pellets.

— Roughage must make up at least 75 % of the yearly ration of dry feed.

— The cereal crops wheat, barley, oats, triticale, rye and maize are also permitted, in their conventional commercial form and in composites with minerals (e.g. bran, pellets).

— The following may also be used as feed: beans, field peas, oleaginous fruits, and extraction meal or cakes.

Prohibited types of feed

— The following types of feed are prohibited: silage (fermented feed), damp hay and fermented hay.

— Animals may not be fed by-products from breweries, distilleries, fruit pressing, or other by-products from the food industry, such as wet brewer’s grains or wet cuttings. Exception: dry cuttings and molasses as a by-product of sugar manufacturing, and dry protein feed produced during grain processing.

— Lactating animals may not be given any form of wet feed.

— Animals may not be fed products of animal origin, except for young goats, which may be fed milk and whey.

— Animals may not be fed garden waste, fallen fruit, potatoes or urea.

Fertilisation conditions

— The use of sewage sludge, sewage sludge products or compost from municipal treatment plants, with the exception of green compost (composted mixture of vegetable matter), is prohibited on all areas agriculturally exploited by the dairy farm.

— Livestock holdings must wait at least three weeks after manure spreading before using the land to graze livestock.

Use of chemical auxiliaries

— Only the selective use of synthetic chemical pesticides under the expert supervision of agronomic specialists, and the targeting of specific sites in any of the green fodder areas of the livestock holding, is permitted.

— Permitted fly sprays may be used in dairy stalls only when no lactating goats are present.

Delivery prohibitions

— Milk may not be delivered as ‘Goat’s Haymilk’ within 10 days of kidding.

— When goats that have been fed silage (fermented feed) are used, there must be a waiting period of at least 14 days.

— As regards alpine animals which have been fed silage (fermented feed) on their farms, either they must be fed silage-free feed for 14 days before being moved to alpine pastures, or their milk can be classed as ‘Goat’s Haymilk’ only once they have spent 14 days on alpine pastures (owned by the milk supplier). No silage may be produced or used as feed on the alpine pasture.

Prohibition of genetically modified food and feed

— In order to preserve the traditional production of ‘Goat’s Haymilk’, no animals or feed which are to be identified as ‘genetically modified’ under prevailing legislation may be used.

Other regulations

— No silage (fermented feed) may be produced or stored at the livestock holding.

— No film-wrapped round bales of any type may be produced or stored at the livestock holding.

— No damp hay or fermented hay may be produced at the livestock holding.

4.3. Description of the key elements establishing the product’s traditional character (Article 7(2) of this Regulation)

Goat’s haymilk is different from standard goat’s milk on account of its special production conditions pursuant to point 4.2 of the ‘Heumilchregulativ’.

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