Press release
McConalogue welcomes collaborative approach to development of Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI brand
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D. has welcomed the collaborative approach by stakeholders in the beef sector on the development of a new Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI brand for Irish beef. The work to secure the PGI recognition from the European Union was a five-year project which culminated in the promotional launch of the product to consumers in Italy this week.
Commenting on this the Minister said
“It takes an enormous effort to successfully get a PGI application over the line and only the best and highest quality products can reach that standard. Having Irish Grass Fed Beef on that exclusive list should be an immense source of pride to everybody involved in the Irish beef sector. I had the opportunity on a farm in Co. Donegal last month to acknowledge that it’s on our farms where this product begins and it’s our farmers which are the bedrock of the sector. I want to acknowledge our farmers, processors, marketers and the work of my Department and Bord Bia as the applicant for their collaborative approach to this project. I also want to acknowledge our counterparts in Northern Ireland who worked with us on this as the PGI has all-island applicability and I was delighted to join with my counterpart Minister Andrew Muir for our on-farm launch last month. PGI status means that Irish Grass Fed Beef now has unique and defined characteristics which can be marked on the label of such products to consumers.”
The event to promote the Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI to consumers took place Milan this week and marked the placing on the market for the first time of Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI. The Minister was joined in Milan by representatives of the exporter, ABP Group as well as farm body representatives with the Presidents of the IFA, Francie Gorman and ICMSA, Denis Drennan as well as Jim O’Toole, CEO of Bord Bia.
Commenting on this, the Minister said
“I’m always proud to tell the story of Irish beef wherever I go internationally and this launch in Italy is a major milestone for showcasing the premium Irish beef products on offer. Nobody can tell this story better than the people who work on our farms, rear our animals and process and market our quality meat and I want to thank ABP’s John Walshe, IFA’s Francie Gorman and ICMSA’s Denis Drennan for their input to this event. There is a collective determination here across Government together with Bord Bia who are on the ground in Italy in supporting our world class processors and farmers to showcase our wonderful products. It is only through this collective approach that it will be possible to drive value for the Irish beef sector. Being able to demonstrate in Italy this week the truly farm to fork nature of Irish beef by having the producers right through to the processors and marketers telling their story was a brilliant addition in a competitive marketplace. I look forward to following closely the development of the PGI beef product and its launch onto other premium markets in due course.
ENDS
Video from the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Irish Grass Fed Beef event in Milan, Italy to view. Available on request: https://youtu.be/27PIDAy7YSk
Image 1 - Mr. Denis Drennan, President, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, Mr. Francie Gorman, President, Irish Farmers Association, Mr. Giorgio Pellegrini, President of Butchers Association of Milan, and Minister Charlie McConalogue marking the availability of Irish Grass Fed Beef (PGI) on Italian supermarket shelves earlier today
Image 2 - Mr. Francie Gorman , President, Irish Farmers Association, Mr. Fusar Poli Massimiliano, Red Meat Buyer Esselunga , Mr. Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ms. Francesca Perfetto, Market Specialist, Bord Bia, Italy, Mr. Denis Drennan, President, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association
Notes for Editors
• EU quality policy aims to protect the names of specific products to promote their unique characteristics, linked to their geographical origin as well as traditional know-how. Product names can be granted a 'geographical indication' (GI) if they have a specific link to the place where they are made. The GI recognition enables consumers to trust and distinguish quality products while also helping producers to market their products better.
• Verification of compliance with the product specification, before placing the product on the market, must be carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
• “Protected Geographical Indication” (PGI) is a name which identifies a product: (a) originating in a specific place, region, or country; (b) whose given quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its defined area of origin; and (c) at least one of the production steps of which take place in the defined geographical area.
• Ireland has three other registered all-island GIs: Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín.
• Ireland has currently nine registered PDO/PGI food product names - Clare Island Salmon (PGI), Imokilly Regato (PDO), Timoleague Brown Pudding (PGI), Connemara Hill Lamb (PGI), Waterford Blaa (PGI), Oriel Sea Salt (PDO), Oriel Sea Minerals (PDO), Sneem Black Pudding (PGI) and Achill Island Sea Salt (PDO).