Publication of an application for approval of non-minor amendments 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

(2020/C 193/11)

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 of 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 amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘POULIGNY-SAINT-PIERRE’

EU No: PDO-FR-0128-AM03 – 24.12.2018

PDO (X) PGI ()

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Syndicat des producteurs de Pouligny-Saint-Pierre Address: Maison de l’agriculture, 65 avenue Gambetta, 36300 Le Blanc, France Tel. +33 254375213 Fax +33 254370421 Email: syndicataocpouligny@sfr.fr

The group is composed of producers and processors and has a legitimate interest in submitting the application.

2. Member State or third country

France

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

☐ Name of product

☒ Description of product

☒ Geographical area

☒ Proof of origin

☒ Method of production

☒ Link

☒ Labelling

☒ Others: national requirements, inspection, contact details of the group and of the competent authority of the Member State.

4. Type of amendment(s)

☒ Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

☐ Amendments 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)

5.1. Description of product

The sentence:

‘“Pouligny-Saint-Pierre” is a cheese made exclusively from goat’s milk and shaped like the frustum of a pyramid, with a square base. The dimensions of the mould are as follows: a lower base of 6,5 cm and an upper base of 2,5 cm.’

has been replaced by:

‘“Pouligny-Saint-Pierre” is a cheese made exclusively from raw whole goat’s milk and shaped like the frustum of a narrow pyramid, with regular edges and a square base.’

The obligation to use raw whole milk strengthens the link with the geographical area by preserving the indigenous lactic flora. The characteristics of the pyramid have been supplemented to comply with the description of the product. The information on the dimensions of the mould has been moved to Chapter 5.3.4.

The following sentence:

‘It is obtained primarily from lactic curd.’

Has been amended as follows:

‘It is obtained from lactic curd by a process of slow curdling and natural draining.’

The word ‘primarily’ has been deleted, as it is inadequate, since the curd is always lactic. The reference to slow curdling has been moved from the ‘method of production’ chapter, because it does not contribute to the description of the product. The reference to natural draining is in line with current practices, which preserve the structure of the lactic curd.

The following sentence:

‘It is a soft, slightly salty and uncooked cheese with surface mould.’

Has been amended as follows:

‘It is a soft, slightly salty cheese. Mould is visible on the surface. Its wrinkled rind is ivory-white and marbled but may also be bluish.’

The description of the product’s appearance has been improved for the sake of a better characterisation. The new wording presents more clearly the characteristics of the cheese.

The following sentence has been added:

‘It is firm when cut. The cheese has a fresh, homogeneous and smooth appearance and is white in colour, with occasional ivory shades. The taste is balanced, neither too salty nor too acidic. It has aromatic notes of a predominantly lactic and fermentative nature, with hints of “goat”, “mushroom” and “hazelnut”. The texture is creamy and melting.’

The description of the paste’s appearance and of the product’s taste has been improved for the sake of a better characterisation. The new wording presents more clearly the characteristics of the cheese.

The following sentence:

‘The cheese has a dry-matter fat content of 45 %, which must be at least 90 grams per cheese.’

has been replaced by:

‘The cheese comes in two sizes:

— “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”: with a weight at the end of the minimum ripening period of at least 250 grams and a total dry extract of at least 90 grams per cheese,

— The small “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”: with a weight at the end of the minimum ripening period of at least 150 grams and a total dry extract of between 55 and 85 grams per cheese.

The minimum dry-matter fat content is 45 %.

“Pouligny Saint-Pierre” cheeses are presented and sold individually to the final consumer.’

In accordance with the national text related to Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 and Regulation (EC) No 1019/2009, there is also a smaller-size cheese, the small ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’.

In other words, ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ comes in two sizes, and their total weight at the end of the minimum ripening period has been added.

By expressing the cheese’s weight as dry matter and setting a minimum dry extract for the cheese, it is possible to exclude from marketing cheeses that are too small (due to a moulding defect) or too moist (due to a lack of drying and/or the use of excessively wet curd).

It has been added that the cheeses are sold individually, that is to say whole, because the group does not wish to authorise the sale of sliced cheese; cutting the cheese has a negative effect on the preservation of its organoleptic characteristics (causing rancidity and desiccation of the paste, in particular) especially as it is small in size.

In the single document, the sentences:

‘Full-fat slightly salted and uncooked soft goat’s cheese, with surface mould, in the form of a frustum of pyramid with a square base. ‘The cheese has a dry-matter fat content of 45 %, which must be at least 90 grams per cheese.’

Have been replaced by:

‘“Pouligny-Saint-Pierre” is a cheese made exclusively from raw whole goat’s milk and shaped like the frustum of a narrow pyramid, with regular edges and a square base.

It is obtained from lactic curd by a process of slow curdling and natural draining.

It is a soft, slightly salty cheese. Mould is visible on the surface. Its wrinkled rind is ivory-white and marbled but may also be bluish.

It is firm when cut. The cheese has a fresh, homogeneous and smooth appearance and is white in colour, with occasional ivory shades. The taste is balanced, neither too salty nor too acidic.

It has aromatic notes of a predominantly lactic and fermentative nature, with hints of “goat”, “mushroom” and “hazelnut”.

The texture is creamy and melting.

The cheese comes in two sizes:

— “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”: with a weight at the end of the minimum ripening period of at least 250 grams and a total dry extract of at least 90 grams per cheese,

— The small “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”: with a weight at the end of the minimum ripening period of at least 150 grams and a total dry extract of between 55 and 85 grams per cheese.

The minimum dry-matter fat content is 45 %.

“Pouligny Saint-Pierre” cheeses are presented and sold individually to the final consumer.’

5.2. Geographical area

The following paragraph in the specification:

‘The production area covers a few municipalities in the department of Indre (the district of Blanc), cf. list of municipalities in Article 1 of the Decree of 29 December 1986. Canton of Bélâbre: municipalities of Mauvières and Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize Canton of Blanc: all municipalities Canton of Mézières-en-Brenne: municipality of Azay-le-Ferron Canton of Tournon-Saint-Martin: all municipalities.’

has been replaced by:

‘The milk must be produced and the cheese made and ripened in the geographical area consisting of the following municipalities in the department of Indre (36): Azay-le-Ferron, Le Blanc, Ciron, Concremiers, Douadic, Fontgombault, Ingrandes, Lingé, Lurais, Lureuil, Martizay, Mauvières, Mérigny, Néons-sur-Creuse, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Preuilly-la-Ville, Rosnay, Ruffec, Saint-Aigny, Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize, Sauzelles, Tournon-Saint-Martin.’

In the single document, the following paragraph:

‘22 municipalities in the department of Indre: Cantons of Blanc and Tournon-Saint-Martin: all municipalities Canton of Bélâbre: municipalities of Mauvières and Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize Canton of Mézières-en-Brenne: municipality of Azay-le-Ferron.’

Has been replaced by:

‘The milk must be produced and the cheese made and ripened in the geographical area consisting of the following municipalities in the department of Indre (36): Azay-le-Ferron, Le Blanc, Ciron, Concremiers, Douadic, Fontgombault, Ingrandes, Lingé, Lurais, Lureuil, Martizay, Mauvières, Mérigny, Néons-sur-Creuse, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Preuilly-la-Ville, Rosnay, Ruffec, Saint-Aigny, Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize, Sauzelles, Tournon-Saint-Martin.’

Compared with the previous specification, in which the geographical area was described using a list of cantons, the geographical area is described here using a list of municipalities, as this is more precise. It does not cause any changes to the geographical area. The same applies to the single document.

5.3. Proof that the product originated in the area

The following paragraphs:

‘Every milk producer, processing plant and ripening plant fills in a “declaration of aptitude”, which is registered with the INAO and enables it to identify all operators involved. All operators must keep their registers and any documents required for checking the origin, quality and production conditions of the milk and cheese at the INAO’s disposal; As part of the checks on the specified features of the designation of origin, an analytical and organoleptic test is carried out to ensure the products submitted for examination are of high quality and possess the requisite typical characteristics.’

Have been replaced by:

‘4.1. Identification of the operators Any operator carrying out its activity under the production conditions of the designation of origin “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre” must complete an identification declaration addressed to the group not later than two months before the start of the activity in question, in accordance with the model approved by the director of the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO). 4.2. Reporting requirements Statements required to notify and monitor the products to be sold under the designation of origin: Each year before 15 February and in accordance with a model validated by the director of the INAO: — Each farmer producer, each processor and each ripener submits to the group a detailed annual production declaration including a monthly summary of the production of “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre” in the previous year. — In the case of farms using silage in facilities other than goat facilities, the producers submit to the group an annual declaration of the presence of silage. — Each processor and ripener submits to the group a declaration of all its goat milk producers and farmer producers, stating their name and address and the quantities collected. 4.3. Record keeping 4.3.1. Traceability The following data are recorded on documents specific to each operator: Milk producer: — The weekly quantities of milk intended for processing into “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”. Processor: — the quantities of milk collected during each round, — the quantities of milk processed into “Pouligny Saint-Pierre” per production day, — the number of cheeses produced intended for the designation of origin “Pouligny Saint-Pierre” per production day, — the number of downgraded cheeses, — the number of cheeses marketed as the designation of origin “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”. Ripener: — the quantities and origin of cheeses purchased for ripening, intended for the designation of origin “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”, — the number of ripened and packaged “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre” cheeses, — the number of downgraded cheeses, — the number of cheeses marketed as the designation of origin “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”. These data are accompanied by the batch numbers used to identify and track milks and cheeses intended for the designation of origin “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”. 4.3.2. Monitoring compliance with the production conditions The milk producers make available to the inspection bodies, in particular, the documents necessary to check the following: — the geographical location of the holding and its parcels, — the area of natural or temporary grassland intended for the provision of fodder to the goat herd, and the areas under cereals, protein crops and oilseeds intended for that herd, — the areas of natural or temporary grassland, cereals, oilseeds and protein crops intended for all herds on the holding, — the annual stocking rate of the goat facilities on the holding or the overall stocking rate of the holding if it has more than one herd, — the origin, nature and quantities of feed purchased for the goat herd, — the management of the goat herd, — the quantities of feed distributed annually to the goat herd. The processors and/or ripeners make available to the inspection bodies the documents necessary to check the following: — compliance with the production parameters defined in Chapter 5, — the keeping of the cheese dairy register. These documents must be updated at least daily. Farmer producers who engage in direct sales and farmer producers who make deliveries to ripeners describe their processing procedure and record any anomalies. 4.4. Checks on products As part of the checks carried out on the characteristics of the product to which the designation of origin refers, a sample-based analytical and organoleptic test is conducted to ensure that the products are of high quality and possess the requisite typical characteristics.’

The declaration of aptitude is replaced by an identification declaration used to identify those producers who wish to participate in the procedure.

The declaration requirements applying to producers have been added. These amendments are linked to changes in national rules and legislation. Provision is made, inter alia, for identifying the producers with a view to accrediting them on the basis of their ability to meet the requirements of the specification, as well as the required declarations regarding knowledge, monitoring, and checks on products intended to be marketed as the designation of origin.

5.4. Description of the method of production

As the specification registered in compliance with Regulations (EC) No 1107/96 and (EC) No 1019/2009 does not provide for any rules on milk production, they have been defined in accordance with producers’ current practices.

The following paragraphs have been added:

‘5.1. Herd management: “Goat herd” means all goats that have given birth at least once. The milk used in the production comes from herds made up of Alpine, Saanen and Poitevine goats or from the crossing of these breeds. The maximum stocking rate is: — 10 goats per hectare actually used for grazing and/or production of fodder, cereals, protein crops and oilseeds used to feed the goats, as regards specialised goat holdings, — 1,5 livestock units per hectare actually used for grazing and/or production of fodder, cereals, protein crops and oilseeds used to feed the herds in question, as regards other holdings with several ruminant herds. A goat has a lying area of at least 1,5 m2, and a maximum of three goats per linear metre of troughs is authorised. The out-of-season breeding of herds is authorised.’

Provisions relating to the goat breeds used and to the management of the goats have been added (maximum stocking rate, minimum area per goat, possibility of out-of-season breeding).

The following paragraphs have been added:

‘5.2. Animal feeding A diet consisting solely of straw and concentrates is prohibited. 5.2.1. Fodder Fodder is the basis of the herd’s feed. The total annual ration is composed of a minimum of 660 kg of fodder dry matter per milk goat. Fodder is grazed or distributed fresh, as hay or in dehydrated form. The types of authorised fodder are: — grass, hay, baled hay, hay with a preservative, originating from natural and temporary grasslands, — annual fodder plants, — straw from cereals, legumes and protein crops, — green-fed grass harvested hygienically, distributed rapidly and consumed within 24 hours. All fodder remaining uneaten after 24 hours is removed from the troughs, — roots and tubers, — dehydrated fodder: lucerne, — maize (the entire plant). The quantity of dehydrated lucerne distributed may not exceed 12 % of the total annual feed ration, or 132 kg of the dry matter per milk goat. Straw litter is not part of the ration. Baled grass may be used to feed the goats, at the rate of up to 1 kg of dry matter per goat per day, provided that the baled grass contains at least 60 % dry matter and comes from the first cut of the forage areas. Grass silage and maize silage are forbidden in the feed of the goat herd. In the case of farms using silage in facilities other than the goat facility, producers store the silage away from the goats’ usual run and more specifically away from the feed intended for the goat herd. 5.2.2. Supplementary feed Supplementary feed does not account for more than 40 % of the milk goat’s diet, or for not more than 440 kg of dry matter per milk goat per year. Cereals, protein crops, oilseeds, commercial concentrates and oilcakes are included when calculating the amount of supplementary feed. The supplementary feed consists of: — grains of unprocessed cereals, either flattened or crushed, — grains of unprocessed oilseeds, either flattened, crushed or extruded, — grains of unprocessed protein crops, either flattened or crushed, — grains and products derived from the processing of cereals, — grains and products derived from the processing of oilseeds by physical tanning using essential oils and plant extracts: oilcakes and soya oil, peas, field bean, lupin, linen, rapeseed, sunflower, vetches, — products from sugar production: dehydrated beet pulp, liquid molasses from sugar cane or beet, — fruit, — minerals, trace elements, vitamins, flavouring and appetising substances. The use of whey for feeding the herd is authorised in the area of the designation, but is not included in the calculation of the ration.’

Positive lists of fodder and supplementary feed have been established in order to regulate the nature of the feed distributed and to facilitate inspections, but also to prohibit the distribution of feed that affects negatively the organoleptic characteristics of the cheese. The variety of the feed distributed to the goats, the ban on silage and the regulating of baling and dehydrated foods help bring out the organoleptic characteristics of ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘5.2.3. Origin of the ration All the fodder consumed by the herd comes from the geographical area, with the exception of the dehydrated lucerne. Supplementary feed produced in the geographical area represents at least 15 % of the milk goat’s annual ration, or at least 165 kg of dry matter or 195 kg of raw feed. The feed produced in the geographical area (fodder + supplementary feed) represents at least 75 % of the total annual feed ration of the herd.’

Rules on the origin of the feed have been added to the specification to reinforce the link between the product and the geographical area. As the geographical area does not have sufficient agricultural resources to provide all the fodder required by the goat herds, the feed produced in the geographical area (fodder + concentrates) represents at least 75 % of the dry matter of the total annual feed ration of the herd.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘5.2.4. Other provisions relating to the feed Only plants, by-products and supplementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the animal feed. The planting of transgenic crops is prohibited in all areas of holdings producing milk intended for processing into cheese with the designation of origin Pouligny-Saint-Pierre. This prohibition applies to all types of plant likely to be given as feed to animals on the farm and to all crops liable to contaminate such plants.’

Feed derived from GMOs is prohibited in order to preserve the traditional character of the product.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘5.2.5. Fertilising the forage areas: Only the following organic matter is authorised: manure, composted manure, slurry, liquid manure of agricultural origin from bovine, ovine, caprine, equine, poultry and porcine species; as well as effluents from dairies and cheese dairies.’

Organic fertilisers are likely to change the composition of the flora of the pasture land, and by regulating them it is possible to maintain a diverse natural flora and preserve the link with the geographical area.

Positive lists of fodder and supplementary feed have been established in order to regulate the nature of the feed distributed and to facilitate inspections, but also to prohibit the distribution of feed that affects negatively the organoleptic characteristics of the cheese.

In the single document, the following sentences have been added:

‘In order to ensure a close link between the locality and the product, at least 75 % of the dry matter of the total annual feed ration of the milk goats is produced in the geographical area. The geographical area does not have sufficient agricultural resources to provide all the fodder required by the goat herds. The total annual ration of a milk goat consists of a minimum of 660 kg in dry matter of fodder, which may be grazed, distributed fresh, as hay, in dehydrated form (for lucerne only, its distribution being limited to 132 kg of dry matter per year), or in the form of baled grass at a rate of up to 1 kg of dry matter per milk goat per day, provided that it contains at least 60 % dry matter and comes from the first cut of the forage areas. The types of fodder allowed are set out in a positive list. Grass silage and maize silage are forbidden in the feed of the milk goat. Supplementary feed does not account for more than 40 % of the milk goat’s diet, or for not more than 440 kg of dry matter per milk goat per year. Supplementary feed produced in the geographical area represents at least 15 % of the milk goat’s annual ration, or at least 165 kg of dry matter. The authorised supplementary feed is itemised in a positive list. Only plants, by-products and supplementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the milk goat’s feed. The planting of transgenic crops is prohibited in all areas of holdings producing milk intended for processing into cheese with the protected designation of origin “Pouligny-Saint-Pierre”.’

The following paragraph has been added:

‘5.3 Processing of cheese: 5.3.1 Milk collection The milk used to make Pouligny-Saint-Pierre is non-standardised, non-homogenised whole goat’s milk. The goat’s milk undergoes no treatment, and nothing is added to or removed from it, except for the following operations: — cooling at a positive temperature for preservation, — filtration to remove macroscopic impurities. The goat’s milk used comes from the following milkings only: — for Pouligny-Saint-Pierre and the small, farm-produced Pouligny-Saint-Pierre: a maximum of 2 consecutive milkings from one day’s production, — for Pouligny-Saint-Pierre and the small, dairy-produced Pouligny-Saint-Pierre: a maximum 4 consecutive milkings from 2 days of production. Mono milking is authorised during the last three months of lactation.’

Conditions for the storage of milk on the farm have been added to preserve the qualities of the milk and limit the development of psychrotrophic microorganisms, which in turn limit the development of natural lactic flora. The use of physical treatments is strictly limited to those that do not affect milk quality.

The production of raw milk has been made obligatory in order to preserve the qualities, in particular the organoleptic qualities, of the milk as well as its original flora, and thereby strengthen the link with the geographical area.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘5.3.2. Preparation of the milk: Raw milk is used. It may be “heated” if necessary at a temperature not exceeding 22 °C before renneting. A lactic starter or whey from a previous curdling stage is added to the milk to promote the maturing process. The milk is prepared and matured for curdling within a period not exceeding 24 hours after the last milking.’

Parameters for preparing the milk have been added to avoid the development of flora that is undesirable with regard to the ripening and visual characteristics sought.

The sentence:

‘After renneting, the milk is curdled for 20 to 30 hours, depending on the season (semi-lactic slow curdling).’

Has been replaced by the sentence:

‘5.3.3. Renneting and curdling: The curdling lasts for at least 18 hours after renneting.’

The minimum duration of the curdling is reduced by 2 hours (from 20 to 18 hours) in order to adapt the description of cheese-making to the reality of production, which usually follows a 24-hour cycle for practical reasons relating to the organisation of work. For the same reason, the maximum duration of 30 hours has been removed.

The following sentence has been added:

‘The milk is curdled using rennet at a milk temperature between 18 °C and 22 °C.’

The parameters for the renneting and curdling stages have been added in order to comply with current practices.

The following sentence has been added:

‘Pre-draining is prohibited.’

Pre-draining leads to a breaking down of the curd that is not compatible with the description of the product.

The following sentence:

‘When cracks appear in the curd, forming small cubes, it is put into a mould in order to obtain a homogeneous, fine-grained paste.’

Has been replaced by the sentence:

‘The curd may be sliced coarsely and vertically into cubes (of 100 mm x 100 mm).’

When the curd is sliced coarsely, it is easier to control its moisture content during moulding.

Description of the mould:

The following sentence:

‘The dimensions of the mould are as follows: a lower base of 6,5 cm x 6,5 cm and an upper base of 2,5 cm.’

Has been replaced by:

‘Minimum characteristics of moulds for Pouligny-Saint-Pierre and the small Pouligny-Saint-Pierre: Small base: 30 mm x 30 mm, The angle between the bottom and the edge of the mould must be between 102° and 107°.’

The dimensions of the moulds have not been changed but reflect the dimensions laid down in the national text relating to Regulations (EC) No 1107/96 and (EC) No 1019/2009. They are expressed differently in order to describe more precisely the pyramidal shape of the mould and, consequently, of the cheese. These target values apply to the two formats of ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘5.3.4. Moulding, draining, salting: The only instruments that may be used to fill the moulds are ladles or similar instruments with a capacity of less than 2 litres.’

This is in order to preserve the traditional character of the moulding and salting operation and take account of the structure of the curd.

The following sentences:

‘The top of the pyramid’s frustum must have no faults, holes or uneven shrinkage. The curd stays in moulds for approximately 24 to 36 hours before being removed and salt added.’

have been replaced by:

‘Single and multiple moulds and extension frames are allowed. Once the moulds have been filled, the curd is levelled by adding curd from the same production day and the base of the cheeses is smoothed using a small scraper or a spatula. Draining is natural. It lasts for 24 to 48 hours after the start of the moulding process. The temperature of the room is kept between 18 and 24 °C.’

In order to preserve the traditional character of the moulding operation, the moulding technique is described in more detail.

Additionally, the maximum duration of the draining is increased from 36 hours to 48 hours in order to adapt the description of cheese-making to the reality of production, which usually follows a 24-hour cycle for practical reasons relating to the organisation of work.

The following sentence has been added:

‘With the exception of the large base, which can be salted immediately once the curd has been levelled, the cheeses are dry-salted within 12 hours of being removed from the mould.’

The salting technique corresponding to the operators’ practices has been added.

The following sentence has been added:

‘5.3.5. Drying: After salting, the cheeses are dried for a period ranging from 24 to 96 hours in a room where the temperature is kept between 12 °C and 16 °C, with a relative humidity of between 75 % and 95 %.’

As the drying stage was not described in the product specification registered in accordance with Regulations (EC) Nos 1107/96 and 1019/2009, it has been added that after salting the cheeses are dried for a certain period of time, in accordance with practices and given its importance for the products’ final organoleptic characteristics.

The following phrase:

‘At a temperature allowing natural ripening.’

has been replaced by:

‘5.3.6. Ripening: Ripening takes place in a ripening room that is separate from the drying room. The temperature of the ripening room varies between 9 and 16 °C, with a relative humidity of 75 % to 95 %. In the case of cheeses processed on the farm and collected by a ripener, the cheeses are stored and transported before salting at a positive temperature ranging between 7 and 10 °C. The cheeses must be collected not later than within 72 hours of completion of the drainage process. When leaving the ripening room, the cheeses have a complete rind covered with surface mould easily visible to the naked eye.’

The conditions for ripening the cheeses in ripening rooms have been added to describe current practices.

The following sentence:

‘The length of its ripening period is at least 10 days in the production area’

Has been replaced by:

‘The Pouligny-Saint-Pierre leaves the ripening room not earlier than on the 10th day after renneting and is sold not earlier than on the 11th day after renneting. The small Pouligny-Saint-Pierre leaves the ripening room not earlier than on the 9th day after renneting and is sold not earlier than on the 10th day after renneting.’

It has been added that the ripening period is counted from the date of renneting in order to facilitate monitoring.

In the case of the small ‘Pouligny Saint-Pierre’, the ripening period has been reduced by one day because of its smaller size, which allows for faster ripening.

It has been added that the cheeses may not be marketed earlier than one day after the minimum ripening period to ensure compliance with the visual description of the cheeses.

The following sentence:

‘Fresh cheeses and cheeses undergoing ripening may not be conserved under a modified atmosphere.’

Has been amended as follows:

‘Fresh cheeses, cheeses undergoing ripening and ripened cheeses may not be conserved under a modified atmosphere.’

It has been added that the ban on conservation under a modified atmosphere also concerns ripened cheeses so as to maintain their organoleptic characteristics.

5.5. Link

The section of the product specification concerning the link to the geographical area has been entirely rewritten to make the link between ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ and its geographical area more explicit without making any fundamental changes to the link. Particular emphasis has been placed on how the milk production conditions allow the use of raw milk suitable for cheese making, which requires specific know-how and maturing conditions. The point on the ‘specificity of the geographical area’ reiterates the geographical area’s natural factors as well as the human factors by summarising historical aspects and highlighting specific know-how. The point on the ‘specificity of the product’ showcases some of the elements presented in the description of the product. Finally, the point ‘Causal link’ explains the interactions between the natural and human factors and the product. The reference to the white colour of the salt used for the salting has been deleted, because it is not included in the specification.

This amendment has also been made to the single document.

5.6. The specific labelling details

The following sentences have been added:

‘Furthermore, the labelling may bear the name of the designation of origin accompanied by the term “petit” (small) for the smaller cheese defined in point 2. Irrespective of the regulatory references applicable to all the cheeses and the aforementioned term, the use of any qualifier or other reference accompanying the aforementioned designation of origin is prohibited on the labelling, advertising, invoices or commercial documents, with the exception of specific trademarks. Labels must bear the AOP [PDO] logo of the European Union.’

The section on labelling has been updated to reflect developments in national and European legislation.

In the single document, the following sentences have been added:

‘Furthermore, the labelling may bear the name of the designation of origin accompanied by the term “petit” (small) for the smaller cheese defined in point 2. Irrespective of the regulatory references applicable to all the cheeses and the aforementioned term, the use of any other qualifier or reference accompanying the aforementioned designation of origin is prohibited on the labelling, advertising, invoices or commercial documents, with the exception of specific trademarks. Labels must bear the AOP [PDO] logo of the European Union.’

5.7. Other amendments

The address of the competent service of the Member State has been updated.

Under the heading on references to the inspection bodies, the name and contact details of the official bodies have been updated. This section provides the contact details of the authorities responsible for national inspections, i.e.: the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) and the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF). It has been added that the name and contact details of the certification body may be consulted via the INAO website and the European Commission’s database.

As regards the section on national requirements, a table displaying the main points to be checked and the method of evaluating them has been added.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’

EU No: PDO-FR-0128-AM03 – 24.12.2018

PDO (X) PGI ()

1. Name

‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’

2. Member State or third country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product (as in Annex XI)

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ is a cheese made exclusively from raw whole goat’s milk and shaped like the frustum of a narrow pyramid, with regular edges and a square base. It is obtained from lactic curd by a process of slow curdling and natural draining. It is a soft, slightly salty cheese.

Mould is visible on the surface. Its wrinkled rind is ivory-white and marbled but may also be slightly bluish.

It is firm when cut. The cheese has a fresh, homogeneous and smooth appearance and is white in colour, with occasional ivory shades. The texture is creamy and melting.

The taste is balanced, neither too salty nor too acidic. It has aromatic notes of a predominantly lactic and fermentative nature, with hints of ‘goat’, ‘mushroom’ and ‘hazelnut’.

The cheese comes in two sizes:

— ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’, with a weight at the end of the minimum ripening period of at least 250 grams and a total dry extract of at least 90 grams,

— the small ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ with a weight at the end of the minimum ripening period of at least 150 grams and a total dry extract of between 55 and 85 grams.

The minimum dry-matter fat content is 45 %.

The ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ leaves the ripening room not earlier than on the 10th day after renneting and is sold not earlier than on the 11th day after renneting.

The small Pouligny-Saint-Pierre leaves the ripening room not earlier than on the 9th day after renneting and is sold not earlier than on the 10th day after renneting.

The cheeses are presented and sold individually to the final consumer.

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

In order to ensure a close link between the locality and the product, at least 75 % of the dry matter of the total annual feed ration of the milk goats is produced in the geographical area. The geographical area does not have sufficient agricultural resources to provide all the fodder required by the goat herds.

The total annual ration of a milk goat consists of a minimum of 660 kg in dry matter of fodder, which may be grazed, distributed fresh, as hay, in dehydrated form (for lucerne only, its distribution being limited to 132 kg of dry matter per year), or in the form of baled grass at a rate of up to 1 kg of dry matter per milk goat per day, provided that it contains at least 60 % dry matter and comes from the first cut of the forage areas. The types of fodder allowed are set out in a positive list.

Grass silage and maize silage are forbidden in the feed of the milk goat.

Supplementary feed does not account for more than 40 % of the milk goat’s diet, or for not more than 440 kg of dry matter per milk goat per year.

Supplementary feed produced in the geographical area represents at least 15 % of the milk goat’s annual ration, or at least 165 kg of dry matter.

The authorised supplementary feed is itemised in a positive list.

Only plants, by-products and supplementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the milk goat’s feed. The planting of transgenic crops is prohibited in all areas of holdings producing milk intended for processing into cheese with the protected designation of origin ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’.

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

The milk must be produced and the cheeses made and matured in the geographical area defined in point 4.

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

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

The labelling for the cheeses contains the name of the designation of origin ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ in bold characters at least two-thirds the size of the largest characters on the label. Furthermore, the labelling may bear the name of the designation of origin accompanied by the term ‘petit’ (small) for the cheese whose size is defined in point 2.

Irrespective of the regulatory references applicable to all the cheeses and the aforementioned term, the use of any other qualifier or reference accompanying the aforementioned designation of origin is prohibited on the labelling, advertising, invoices or commercial documents, with the exception of specific trademarks.

Labels must bear the ‘AOP’ [PDO] logo of the European Union.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The milk must be produced and the cheese made and ripened in the geographical area consisting of the following municipalities in the department of Indre (36):

Azay-le-Ferron, Le Blanc, Ciron, Concremiers, Douadic, Fontgombault, Ingrandes, Lingé, Lurais, Lureuil, Martizay, Mauvières, Mérigny, Néons-sur-Creuse, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Preuilly-la-Ville, Rosnay, Ruffec, Saint-Aigny, Saint-Hilaire-sur-Benaize, Sauzelles, Tournon-Saint-Martin.

5. Link with the geographical area

‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ is a raw goat’s milk cheese that is shaped like a pyramid, with a wrinkled, ivory-white or bluish rind and made by a process of slow curdling of lactic curd obtained through inoculation with a lactic starter culture or whey from a previous batch. Its melting and creamy texture and aromatic notes of a predominantly fermentative nature are due both to the rules on the feeding of the herds, which prioritise a particular fodder from the area, and to the specific know-how of the cheesemakers and ripeners.

All of the geographical area, in the west of the department of Indre, more specifically around the village of Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, is located in the Brenne Regional Nature Park. It is a very particular region, consisting of clay-limestone plateaux from the Jurassic and limited to the north by the wetlands of the Brenne and to the south-west by the Creuse Valley. Its micro-climate is warmer and drier than in surrounding areas.

This unusual climate and geology have led to the establishment of a diverse flora made up of cherry trees, heathland, scented species, thorny species, oak trees, sainfoin and lucerne.

The sandy-loam soils of the Brenne are home to natural grasslands, with delayed grass growth, while the sandy soils of the Creuse Valley, which dry in the summer, are better suited to the cultivation of grassland based on grasses and leguminous plants.

All of these natural factors explain why, at a certain point in time, the inhabitants of this region took to rearing goats (‘the poor man’s cow’), which are hardy, undemanding animals.

As the dairy goat farms were originally very small, each farmer produced a few cheeses just for their own consumption. Gradually, collector-ripeners started collecting the cheeses in order to dry them and distribute them to various markets in Paris, Limoges, Châteauroux, Blois and Lyon.

Production then became more structured: the farms grew and the ripeners organised the collection of cheeses made from raw milk and based on a predominantly lactic curd. In 1972 ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’ became the first caprine controlled designation of origin to be recognised in France.

In order to feed the goat herds, goat producers continue to make the best use of the resources of this area with rather weak agronomic potential. They have introduced a diet combining the diversity of the natural resources available (fodder production, grazing, grass fodder, production of cereals and legumes) which, together with current breeding practices, makes it easier to control the quality of the milks used (fat content, protein content, natural flora of the milks).

The cheese producers use specific know-how when processing the cheeses, with the aim of enhancing the quality of the milk used, in particular by preserving the local microbiological flora. The ripeners have the requisite know-how to manage the development of the surface flora under well-defined conditions relating to the temperature, humidity and duration.

All these human factors live on even now in the geographical area.

As regards the specific features of ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’, it is a cheese made from raw whole goat’s milk and shaped like the frustum of a narrow pyramid, with regular edges and a square base. Its wrinkled rind is ivory-white and marbled but may also be slightly bluish. The taste is balanced, neither too salty nor too acidic. The texture is creamy and melting. It has aromatic notes of a predominantly lactic and fermentative nature, with hints of ‘goat’, ‘mushroom’ and ‘hazelnut’.

The link between the specific features of the product and the natural and human factors in the geographical area is based first and foremost on the climate and the geology. They are the reason why this part of the Brenne has agricultural land that dries in the summer and has been for a long time best suited to the production of fodder. This fodder remains the basic element of the diverse diet of these goats, whose milk contributes to the characteristics of ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’. By making the best possible use of the various types of soil in the geographical area, the breeders of Brenne have been able to produce high-quality goat’s milk used to make a cheese originally intended for family consumption.

The constraints affecting this production, which originally took place on farms, are the reason for the choice of raw whole milk and the use of lactic technology.

In addition, the producers have developed a special mould, whose pyramidal shape was supposedly inspired by the bell-tower of the church of Pouligny-Saint-Pierre. The use of a pointed pyramidal mould gives the cheese its original shape, which is an important part of its visual identity, and plays a key role in the development of its texture. Placing lactic curd in a traditional mould and applying the current production techniques, which derive from traditional know-how originally developed by farm producers and nowadays shared by all (inoculation with a lactic starter culture or whey from a previous batch, moulding of the curd with a small ladle, slow natural draining, dry salting), makes it possible to obtain a structured and well-drained curd that gives the cheese a characteristic melting and creamy texture. This texture as well as the balanced gustatory quality of the cheese and its aromatic notes of a predominantly lactic and fermentative nature, with hints of ‘goat’, ‘mushroom’ and ‘hazelnut’, are revealed thanks to the attentive care bestowed on the cheese by the ripener over a ripening period of at least 10 days (9 days for the small ‘Pouligny-Saint-Pierre’), which promotes the development of an ivory-white or bluish wrinkled surface.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDC-PoulStPierre-050919.pdf

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