Publication of an application for approval of a non-minor amendment 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

(2022/C 193/07)

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 from the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF A NON-MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

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

‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’

EU No: PGI-FR-0665-AM01 – 21.5.2021

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

AREOVLA

Europarc – 3 bis Avenue Léonard de Vinci

33608 Pessac Cedex

FRANCE

Tel. +33 5560084 50

Fax +33 556819280

Email: areovla@gmail.com

AREOVLA is an association made up of sections representing several sheep products. Its members are producers, organisations of producers and slaughterers of ‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’. It therefore has a legitimate right to request amendments to the product specification.

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

☒	Other: Updating of inspection bodies, national requirements and annexes.

4.   Type of amendment(s)

☒	Amendments to the 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 in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5.   Amendment(s)

5.1.   ‘Name of product’ section

The name ‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’ has been changed to ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’, so that it covers, in addition to suckling lambs, also older and heavier sheep, commonly referred to as ‘slaughter lambs’.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘1. Name(s)’ section of the single document.

5.2.   ‘Description of product’ section

The introductory sentence of this section, ‘This product specification concerns fresh lamb meat as defined in Article 2 of the Order of 17 March 1992’, has been revised to read as follows: ‘This product specification concerns the fresh meat of lambs of various local Pyrenean breeds which share the particularity of all having adapted to areas that are challenging for sheep farming.’

This amendment is related to the requested amendment, the purpose of which is to expand the scope of the specification to cover slaughter lambs.

The following paragraph has been deleted:

This paragraph no longer serves any purpose. It sets out the particular characteristics of the suckling lamb which, at the time the application for recognition was made, was the only lamb eligible for the PGI.

The following paragraph has been deleted:

The information provided has been reorganised into a flowing paragraph, and a description of a slaughter lamb has been added. The proposed wording is as follows:

‘The “Agneau des Pyrénées” is, depending on its rearing period, a “suckling lamb” or a slaughter lamb:

—

a suckling lamb is a young lamb, reared for no longer than 45 days and fed exclusively on its mother’s milk. It has a carcass in fat-cover class 2 or 3 which, depending on how it is presented, weighs between 4.5 kg and 11 kg. The raw meat is pink to light pink in colour. It is a seasonal product because the lambs are slaughtered from 15 October to 15 June.

—

a slaughter lamb is a heavier lamb, slaughtered at an age of between 60 and 160 days and fed on the milk of its mother for at least its first 60 days of life. Its carcass weighs between 13 kg and 22 kg, its conformation class is R or O, and it is in fat-cover class 2 or 3. Its raw meat is characteristically pink in colour and its fat is firm to very firm and white to slightly coloured. ’

The colour of the lamb meat, initially given as ‘white or barely pink’, has been changed to ‘light pink’ to reflect current practices. Producing white-fleshed lamb may involve methods not conducive to the welfare of the animals, particularly insofar as their diet (a lack of access to forage) and health (the risk of anaemia and iron deficiency) are concerned. This is not the case where incidental snacking by the suckling lamb is authorised.

The ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI thus relates to lambs of local Pyrenean breeds reared on their mother’s milk within the same geographical area, and includes two types of lambs, each reared up to a different age. Extending the PGI to cover slaughter lambs will enable the expertise of all sheep farmers in the French Pyrenees to be recognised. Slaughter lamb is also the typical type of lamb produced in the French Pyrenees. Slaughter lambs are produced from hardy Pyrenean breeds, have a typically long carcass and characteristically belong to a conformation class of between R and O and a fat-cover class of 2 or 3. Finally, feeding with the mother’s milk, followed by creep feeding and finishing with a cereal-based feedingstuff, and the lamb’s young age (a maximum of 160 days) enables meat to be produced which is pink in colour and contains fat which is firm to very firm.

The following paragraph has been deleted:

The ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI guarantees that the meat is produced in a specific way, from the birth of the animal (and prior to that, through the way the herd is managed) through to the way the carcass is selected and cut. It cannot guarantee the characteristics of the cooked meat, however; the descriptors for these have been removed from the product specification.

The provisions concerning the presentation of the product and the cut of the meat, set out in the following table:

Whole carcass	— Carcass — Primal cuts and half-carcasses
Cut	— PAD [Prêt A Découper, or “ready-to-cut”]: portions delivered to the distributor and requiring only a simple additional cut. — UVC [Unité de Vente Consommateur, or “consumer sales unit”]: trays containing finished cuts of meat, intended for self-service shelves and ready for consumption.

have been reworded as follows:

The primal cuts are delivered ready-to-cut (PAD or “Prêt A Découper”), requiring only a simple additional cut, or as consumer sales units (UVC or “Unité de Vente Consommateur”) in the form of trays containing finished cuts of meat ready for consumption.’

Presentation of the deep-frozen product has been added. These amendments allow room for provisions to be established on the marketing of slaughter lambs.

The suckling lamb is a seasonal product, produced between 15 October and 15 June, with peak production occurring from December to January. Thus 80 % of the lamb is produced over a three-month period, which amounts to a marketing disincentive. Deep-freezing of the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI product thus represents a major opportunity.. Deep-freezing, which enables the product to be stored for longer periods, enables it to be marketed to consumers over a longer period (which is what they are demanding), without impairing its characteristics and requiring any change in Pyrenean sheep rearing practices. Deep-freezing procedures are set out in the method of production.

The following provisions concerning the ways the product is presented, which could be found in the section ‘5.1 Slaughter’, have been moved to section ‘2. Description of product’.

The following provisions:

have been reworded as follows:

Henceforth, the carcass may be presented with head and with pluck or with head and without pluck in the national territory (export is authorised only once the ‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’ PGI has been recognised).

The following provision has been added:

The offal listed below has been added to the products coming under the PGI: the whole pluck, the heart, liver, kidneys, sweetbread, rumen and trotters. With the exception of the whole pluck, which was sold with the carcass, offal had not been provided for in the product specification for the ‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’ PGI. This was related to there being few market outlets at the time the product was recognised as a PGI. These days such market outlets do exist, representing an opportunity for better marketing of the offal covered by the application and increased visibility of ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’, the amended PGI.

The amendment to the ‘Description of product’ section of the product specification affects the ‘Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies’ section of the single document by introducing slaughter lamb, marketing of the offal, and deep-freezing.

5.3.   ‘Geographical area’ section

The definition of the geographical area has been amended. The geographical area of the ‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’ PGI corresponds to all the municipalities of the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques south of the Gave de Pau River and to ten municipalities in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées. This definition has been expanded to include specific municipalities within the following departments, all of them located in the Pyrenean mountain range:

—	Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64)

—	Hautes-Pyrénées (65)

—

Gers (32)

—	Haute-Garonne (31)

—	Ariège (09)

—

Aude (11)

—	Pyrénées-Orientales (66)

The draft amended product specification lists the municipalities of the departments included in the geographical area, i.e. Aude (11), Haute-Garonne (31), Gers (32), Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64), Hautes-Pyrénées (65), Pyrénées-Orientales (66) and Ariège (11).

The geographical area has thus been expanded to include new municipalities in the Pyrenees mountains, located in the departments of Ariège, Aude, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Orientales. The aim of this amendment is to expand the geographical area by adding the central and eastern part of the Pyrenees to it. The expanded area includes the whole production area of ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’. The proposed geographical area is justified by the presence, both current and historic, of hardy Pyrenean breeds and by the production of ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ all along the mountain range. Lamb production is noteworthy in this part of the French Pyrenees. The geographical area will therefore cover the French side of the mountain range in its entirety, reflecting both former and current rearing practices.

All elements relating to the description of the geographical area have been removed from this section of the product specification, as they are not expected to be covered here.

The amendment to the ‘Geographical area’ section of the product specification affects the ‘4. Concise definition of the geographical area’ section of the single document.

5.4.   ‘Proof of origin’ section

The following provisions:

have been deleted and replaced with the following provisions:

This rewording enables further clarifications to be provided and bottom-up and top-down traceability to be assured right across the sector.

A description of the traceability system is provided, summarising the documents and records required and the minimum information expected at each stage of the product life cycle (birth, removal of the lambs, slaughter, carcass selection, etc.). These documents must be available to inspectors.

This traceability table, already included in the product specification in force, has been updated:

—	to incorporate current practices involving slaughter lambs;

—	to take account of applications for amendments to the method of production;

—	to reinforce monitoring of the various production steps;

—	to remove regulatory or redundant information;

—	to update the data in respect of the suckling lamb.

The traceability document templates have been deleted from the product specification. These are descriptive documents, having no bearing on either traceability checks or traceability assurance.

Elements have been added enabling traceability assurance for offal and deep-frozen products, and overlaps with general regulations have been removed, along with elements covered by the control procedure provided for in the control plan.

The traceability system provides assurance to consumers that a product with the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI conforms to the characteristics certified by the PGI. Traceability consists in keeping necessary and sufficient information to trace the origin and composition of the product throughout its production, processing and distribution stages. The origin of the lamb is guaranteed through product identification and a system of bottom-up and top-down traceability.

The system defines the documents and records required and the minimum information expected at each stage of the product life cycle (rearing of the lambs, removal, slaughter, packaging, cutting, deep-freezing).

None of the amendments to this section concerns the single document.

5.5.   ‘Method of production’ section

A diagram of the life cycle of ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ has been added, providing a visual overview of the steps in its production.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

In the chapter

5.1   Rearing

5.1.1   Genetic origin

The following provision:

‘The dams must be from the Red-face Manech, Black-face Manech or Basco-Béarnais breeds.

The following are selected as sires:

—	male breeding sheep from the aforementioned hardy breeds.

—	the use of male sheep of a “meat-type breed” (Berrichon du Cher, Charollais, Suffolk and Texel) is accepted. ’

has been amended to read as follows:

With regard to the suckling lamb, the maternal breeds (Basco-Béarnais, Black-face Manech or Red-face Manech) remain the same. The list of breeds used for the sires of suckling lambs has been expanded to include other local Pyrenean breeds: Aure-Campan, Barégeois, Castillonnais, Lourdais, Montagne Noire, Roussillon Red, and Tarasconnais in addition to the Basco-Béarnais, Black-face Manech, Red-face Manech, Berrichon du Cher, Charollais, Suffolk and Texel breeds.

For slaughter lambs, the following are the only breeds authorised:

Aure-Campan, Barégeois, Castillonnais, Lourdais, Montagne Noire, Roussillon Red, Tarasconnais, Basco-Béarnais, Black-face Manech and Red-face Manech. These are the breeds found in the French Pyrenees and reflect the practices of the livestock farmers.

Seven Pyrenean suckler breeds have been added to reflect those used to produce ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’. These are both historic and current breeds of the Pyrenees and their foothills. They can easily adapt to areas that are challenging for sheep farming and they have a strong Pyrenean identity. Since the slaughter lamb is slaughtered late (between the ages of 60 and 160 days), it has a considerable amount of time, relative to the suckling lamb, in which to achieve a remarkably good conformation and characteristic of the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’. The possibility of using, in the case of slaughter lambs, Berrichon du Cher, Charollais, Suffolk and Texel meat-type breeds would result in a slaughter lamb that does not correspond to the description of the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ because it has too high a conformation and more fat cover than what would be characteristically expected.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.2 Description of product’ section of the single document.

5.1.2   Management system

The management system has been fleshed out in more detail:

This provision ensures that the ewes spend alternate periods of their lives exclusively in their pens, exclusively out in the open, and in a combination of the two environments. The ewes produce the milk which constitutes the sole foodstuff for suckling lambs and plays a key role in the feeding of slaughter lambs. Complementary feed can be provided subsequently.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.3.1 Feeding of the breeding herd’ section of the single document.

The list of grains ‘(corn, barley, triticale, oats, etc.) ’ has been removed from the following provision: ‘In winter, grazing depends on weather conditions, but grassland continues to be the main source of fodder. The winter dietary supplement is based on preserved fodder, grain cereals (corn, barley, triticale, oats, etc.), straw and compound feedingstuffs. ’

This list did not enable control to be ensured. This provision was also later supplemented with an indication of the list of feed materials authorised in the breeding herd’s diet.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.3.1 Feeding of the breeding herd’ section of the single document.

The provision ‘In spring, summer and autumn, pasture is the milk ewes’ basic feedingstuff ’ has been revised as follows to provide for ewes other than the Manechs and ‘dairy-type’ Basco-Béarnais: ‘In spring, summer and autumn, pasture is the ewes’ basic feedingstuff’.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.3.1 Feeding of the breeding herd’ section of the single document.

The following provisions have been added:

The option of finishing the slaughter lambs in a finishing centre once they attain a live weight of 19kg has been added. This step takes place in the geographical area because it is an integral part of the lamb rearing process. The lamb is subject to the same feeding conditions there as on its holding of birth. On the one hand, farms in the Central French Pyrenees are widely dispersed, particularly in some of the high mountain regions. This creates problems for collecting sheep and transporting grains and complementary feed. On the other hand, some farmers, particularly those that practise transhumance, are not able to finish the lambs. The reasons for this are various, but notably because of a lack of equipment and fodder crops. For these two reasons the lambs may, after 60 days and once they have a attained a minimum of 19 kg of live weight, be gathered together in a finishing centre until they are collected for slaughter. By the time a lamb has reached a weight of 19 kg, it has effectively completed the initial phases of lactation and growth. It is sufficiently well-developed to withstand changes in its diet. To ensure the traceability of these lambs, each lamb has an additional eartag inserted upon entering the finishing centre.

The additional information about the housing conditions of the animals in livestock buildings sets the conditions those buildings have to comply with, which in turn helps improve the lambs’ welfare. These conditions include the stocking density of lambs in terms of their age and the stocking density of ewes accompanied by their lamb, good ventilation, animals not exposed to any draughts, and the use of dry plant-based bedding material. It is all the more imperative that these conditions be set, given that slaughter lambs may be reared in finishing centres (within the geographical area) for up to 100 days.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

5.1.3.1   Feeding of the breeding herd (previously ‘Feeding of the dams’)

The provision:

has been amended to read as follows:

The requisite grazing period has gone from 8 months (i.e. 240 days) to 210 days – in other words, it has been reduced by a month. By introducing herds consisting of suckler breeds and expanding the geographical area, some climatic, topographic or technical constraints prevent all ewes on the relevant holdings from being pastured for eight months of the year. However, given that pasturing has been practised since ancient times and is of central importance to these mountain livestock farms, a minimum pasturing period of at least seven months has been proposed. This corresponds to the practice adopted by all sheep farmers in the French Pyrenees.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.3.1 Feeding of the breeding herd’ section of the single document.

The following provision has been deleted:

‘The compound feedingstuffs are distributed to complement the fodder according to the needs of the ewes, and consist of:

—	cereal grains, their products and by-products;

—	legume seeds, their products and by-products;

—	oilseeds, their products and by-products, including oil-cake (peanuts, rapeseeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds, linseeds);

—	tubers, roots, their products and by-products;

—	fodder, including dried fodder;

—	other grains, fruits, their products and by-products;

—

minerals;

—	additives authorised by the legislation in force; and

—	nitrogen compounds authorised by the legislation in force. The use of urea is prohibited.

The following are authorised on the holding and performed by the producer:

—	mixing of the feed – i.e., feed included in the basic ration with the feed listed above – on the date of its distribution;

—	mixing of the feed listed above.

The external supply of mixed feed, consisting of feed included in the basic ration and the feed listed above, is authorised until 1 November 2011, on the condition that the labelling clearly lists its constituents and their origin and quantity.’

It has been replaced by the following:

‘The compound feedingstuffs are distributed to complement the fodder included in the basic ration, according to the needs of the ewes, and consist of:

—	cereal grains and products derived therefrom;

—	oil seeds and products derived therefrom, with the exception of sources of palm and palm kernel;

—	legume seeds and products derived therefrom;

—	other grains and products derived therefrom;

—	tubers, roots, sugar cane and products derived therefrom: the products derived from sugar cane and sugar beet must not represent more than 5 % of the total weight of the compound feedingstuff;

—	dehydrated lucerne in the form of pellets;

—	minerals and products derived therefrom, with the exception of degelatinised bone meal and bone ash;

—

Authorised by-products from the fermentation of micro-organisms, i.e.: Yeasts and parts thereof (brewers’ yeast), Vinasses [condensed molasses soluble], By-products from the production of L-glutamic acid, Starch, Pregelatinised starch, Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, Glycerine, Propane-1,2-diol (propylene glycol).

The authorised additives are as follows:

—	technological additives;

—	sensory additives: flavouring compounds;

—	nutritional additives: vitamins, compounds of trace elements, and amino acids. Urea and its derivatives are prohibited;

—	zootechnical additives: digestibility enhancers, gut flora stabilisers, and other zootechnical additives.

The following are authorised to make up the feed ration:

—	the mixing of feedingstuffs, using the feedingstuffs listed above; and

—	the mixing of feedingstuffs, using fodder and the feedstuffs listed above,

—	on condition that the mixing is done on the holding.

Ready-to-use mixes, i.e. mixes of fodder and the above feedingstuffs, made off-farm, are prohibited.

Use of GMOs, anabolic substances, beta-agonists and other substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action, meat meal and any other animal protein in the feed of the breeding herd is prohibited.’

The list of feed materials has been updated to bring it into line with Commission Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 of 16 January 2013 on the Catalogue of feed materials.

The proposal regarding the feeding of the dams is more restrictive, and the list of additives has been restricted in line with practice in the sector.

Some feed materials have been explicitly prohibited in the product specification to avoid them being inadvertently authorised, were the legislation in force to change. This concerns anabolic substances, beta-agonists and other substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action, meat meal and any other animal protein.

The provision laying down the date on which the producer makes, on the holding, the mixture comprising feed included in the basic ration and feed on the list of feed materials – i.e. ‘on the date of its [the mixture’s] distribution’ – has been deleted. Since the basic feed ration is essentially a dry ration, there are no factors that could preclude the mixture from being made a few days prior to its distribution.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

5.1.3.2   Feeding of the lambs

Feeding with the mother’s milk

The following provisions: The suckling lambs live with their dam in the same location nearly all of the time. ‘The lambs are fed exclusively on sheep milk through suckling by the dam. The amount of milk produced by the dam meets 100 % of the lambs’ needs up until they are 45 days old. ’

have been amended to read as follows:

By way of these amended provisions, the suckling lamb production practices have been supplemented with slaughter lamb production practices prior to weaning.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.3.2 Feeding of the lambs’ section of the single document.

The diagram showing the annual production curve for ewes’ milk has been deleted, as it was merely descriptive.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

The provision:

has been replaced to read as follows:

This provision simplifies the prohibition on the use of bottle-feeding.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

Complementary feeding

Requirements for the complementary feeding of slaughter lambs have been added in the following provisions:

‘The compound feedingstuffs are made from:

—	cereal grains and products derived therefrom;

—	oil seeds or oil fruits and products derived therefrom, with the exception of sources of palm and palm kernel;

—	legume seeds and products derived therefrom;

—	tubers, roots, sugar cane and products derived therefrom: the products derived from sugar cane and sugar beet must not represent more than 5 % of the total weight of the compound feedingstuff;

—	other grains and products derived therefrom;

—	dehydrated lucerne in the form of pellets;

—	minerals and products derived therefrom, with the exception of bone meal and bone ash;

—

authorised by-products from the fermentation of micro-organisms, i.e.: Yeasts and parts thereof (brewers’ yeast), Vinasses [condensed molasses soluble], By-products from the production of L-glutamic acid, Starch, Pregelatinised starch, Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, Propane-1,2-diol (propylene glycol).

The authorised additives are as follows:

—	technological additives: antioxidants, binders, and anti-caking agents;

—	sensory additives: flavouring compounds;

—	nutritional additives: vitamins, compounds of trace elements, and amino acids. Urea and its derivatives are prohibited;

—	zootechnical additives: digestibility enhancers, gut flora stabilisers, and other zootechnical additives.

Cereals and products derived therefrom must constitute at least 30 % of the total weight of the compound feedingstuff. ’

The list of feed materials has been added to specify what a heavy lamb is entitled to and to bring the list into line with Commission Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 of 16 January 2013 on the Catalogue of feed materials.

The list of feeding materials and additives is restricted in accordance with the practices of operators in the sector with regard to slaughter lambs.

A percentage of cereals and products derived therefrom is added to guarantee a balanced ration and thus ensure that the lambs are fattened correctly, without creating imbalances detrimental to the welfare of the animal and maintenance of the meat’s characteristics.

This amendment to the product specification affects the ‘3.3.2 Feeding of the lambs’ section of the single document.

5.1.4   Health treatments (formerly ‘Management and health treatments’)

The following provision:

‘—	In the case of the dams, the producers must: — monitor the livestock health plans (PSEs) accepted by the Veterinary Services Directorate (DSV); and — allow any treatment the group’s technical service considers necessary to be carried out.

Treatments are limited to those strictly necessary to maintain and restore the animals to good health and control their reproduction. ’

has been deleted because it relates, on the one hand, to compulsory elements monitored by State authorities and, on the other, to elements that cannot be audited and are therefore superfluous.

The provision:

has been amended to read as follows:

The following provision has been proposed for slaughter lambs: ‘In the case of slaughter lambs, if a medicinal treatment is administered and the statutory withdrawal period prior to slaughter is less than 7 days, a minimum period of 7 days between the end of the treatment and the slaughter must nonetheless be respected. ’

The initial provision has been supplemented to specify that it is referring to the suckling lamb. Furthermore, a tandem provision on the slaughter lamb has been added. The prohibition on using antibiotics has been maintained for suckling lambs. Their use has, however, been authorised for slaughter lambs, depending on the pathologies encountered, solely on veterinary prescription and within the regulatory deadlines for using those products, while also requiring at least seven days between the end of all treatments and the slaughter, where the treatment does not require a withdrawal period of seven days. These treatments are authorised for the slaughter lamb because it is an older animal and thus potentially more exposed to disorders requiring their use.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

In the section

5.2.   Collection of lambs (formerly ‘Departure from the holding and transportation’)

The following paragraph has been deleted:

The information in the first part relates solely to the suckling lamb. In the following section on slaughtering, the information on live weight has been deleted, but the information on carcass weight has been retained.

The other elements of the paragraph are already covered by general regulations and have therefore been deleted.

The following paragraph has been added:

The following provision has been deleted:

and has been replaced by the following:

Transiting via a collection point and an assembly centre have been introduced in order to align practices with those of slaughter lamb farmers. Feeding, hygiene and housing conditions will appear in this section from now on to enable the practices of the centres to be better managed.

The following sentence: ‘The period between departure from the holding and slaughter is no more than 24 hours’ has been amended, because it only applies to the suckling lamb: ‘For the suckling lamb, the period between departure from the holding and slaughter is no more than 24 hours’.

In addition to this provision, new journey times and periods of stay have been added in connection with the introduction of the slaughter lamb:

—	‘The journey time between the farm (where applicable, the holding of birth or the finishing centre) and the assembly centre is no more than 12 hours.

—	The journey time between the assembly centre and the slaughterhouse is no more than 6 hours.

—	The maximum period of stay at the assembly centre is 96 hours.

—	For the slaughter lamb, the period between departure from the holding and slaughter is no more than 114 hours.

—	For the slaughter lamb, the period between departure from the holding and arrival in the finishing centre is no more than 48 hours. ’

The sentence ‘The journey time between the last assembly point for the lambs (collection centre or assembly centre) and the slaughterhouse is no more than 8 hours’ has been deleted, because the previous proposals already cover current practices and provide for a reduction in the journey time between one point and another and the time spent at each site.

These amendments to the product specification do not affect the single document.

In the chapter

5.3   Slaughter

The provisions:

relate to general regulations and have therefore been deleted.

The following provision:

has been reworded to read as follows:

The provision concerning the maximum period of time the suckling lamb may be separated from its dam prior to slaughter (no more than 24 hours) has been deleted from the section ‘5.3 Slaughter’ and moved to the previous section, ‘5.2 Collection of the lambs’.

The following provision has been added: ‘Every effort must be made to conduct the slaughtering of batches of PGI lambs in the same half-day’ to avoid any risk of substitution.

The following provision:

has been revised to read as follows:

The provision specifying that the live weight of the suckling lamb must be between 9 kg and 16 kg has been deleted because there is already a provision on the carcass weight (correlated with this live weight) and this is sufficient to characterise the product and ensure that it can be checked with accuracy. The age at time of slaughter of the slaughter lamb, namely between 60 and 160 days, has been added.

The following provision has been added: ‘Preselection is carried out by making a specific mark, whether by stamping the saddle of the lamb, making a mark on the weight label or printing a preselection label. ’

This enables increased traceability of pre-selected carcasses.

The following provision:

has been replaced by:

This amendment incorporates selection criteria – the colour of the meat and the quality of the fat (content and colour) for the slaughter lamb. Final selection may be performed on chilled carcasses before or after refrigeration, depending on the operator. This is why the term ‘refrigerated’ has been deleted – namely, to take account of the various practices employed by slaughterers and cutters involved in the process.

The provision:

has been reworded to read as follows:

An additional guarantee associated with the downgrading of the carcasses has been added through the following provision to limit the risk of substitution:

The paragraph on the characteristics of suckling lamb carcases, i.e.:

‘-	Carcass weight: between 4,5 and 11 kg

-	fat-cover class: 2 and 3 in the EUROP grading scale

-	structure of the meat and quality of the fat: the quality of the fat can only be correctly assessed when the fat is coagulated – namely, on a refrigerated carcass.

-	the colour of the meat must be light pink over the whole carcass.

The judgement must be made in natural light or using standardised lamps.’

has been reworded to read as follows:

The only addition is the detail that the colour of the meat is pink to light pink rather than just light pink. This corresponds more closely to the colour of the meat observed.

The characteristics of slaughter lamb carcasses have been added:

A fat colour intensity scale and a fat content scale have been added to set out the characteristics corresponding to what has been authorised.

Intensity scale	Descriptor
1	White fat over the whole carcass
2	Very slightly coloured fat over the whole or part of the carcass
3	Coloured fat: Yellow, orangey or light brown over the whole carcass or more strongly coloured on only part of the carcass
4	Strongly coloured fat over the whole carcass

Intensity scale	Descriptor
1	Very firm fat: the covering fat is firm over the whole carcass
2	Firm fat: the covering fat is firm but may have imperfections, particularly on the back of the carcass.
3	Soft fat over the whole carcass
4	Very soft and oily fat over the whole carcass

For slaughter lambs, a carcass weight of between 13 kg and 22 kg is in line with production practices. The conformation ‘R’ or ‘O’ is typical of lambs of hardy breeds such as those of the Pyrenees; it constitutes one of their specific characteristics. These breeds, which are adapted to the climate of the Pyrenees and to walking, have distinctively elongated carcasses.

These amendments to the product specification do not affect the single document, except for those, already mentioned, which relate to the description of the product.

5.4   Cutting and packaging

The following provision has been added to ensure better traceability:

‘The following precautions are taken to avoid any risk of substitution of meat subject to the PGI:

—	the meat plant is organised in such a way as to allow cutting operations involving products subject to the PGI to be kept clearly separate from those involving other products, temporally and/or spatially;

—	cutting of the meat subject to the PGI is done in batches at a pre-determined time of the day or week. ’

The provisions:

and

have been deleted because they overlap with general regulations.

The provision:

has been amended to read as follows:

These amendments to section 5.4 ‘Cutting and packaging’ of the product specification do not affect the single document.

The following paragraph, ‘5.5 Characteristics of the offal’, has been added because of the inclusion of offal in products eligible for the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI.

The following provisions:

have been introduced to limit the risks of substitution and to guarantee the quality criteria associated with the PGI.

It is also stated that: ‘In the case of the suckling lamb, the offal may be separated from the carcass after it has been weighed. In the case of the slaughter lamb, the offal, with the exception of the kidneys, is separated from the carcass before it is weighed, once the criteria of origin and fat-cover class have been verified. The offal is chilled immediately after separation from the carcass to an internal temperature of 3 °C prior to dispatch. The offal is then grouped into daily batches and identified by the number of the slaughter batch. ’

The packaging of the offal is described as follows:

—	‘either in bulk, in vacuum bags or identified sealed containers;

—	or in consumer sales units (UVC) on plastic-film-covered trays or in vacuum bags. ’

These details are necessary because the offal is added to products eligible for the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI.

This amendment to section 5.5, ‘Characteristics of the offal’, of the product specification does not affect the single document, apart from section 3.2, ‘Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies’, where it explicitly provides for the offal to be marketed fresh or deep-frozen.

Since deep-freezing has been authorised, paragraph 5.6 Deep-freezing has been added:

Only deep-freezing is permitted because of the impact of freezing on the meat; freezing leads to the formation of larger crystals than those produced by deep-freezing. When freezing the meat, it takes longer to reduce the temperature by a small amount. This leads to the formation of large crystals which, at the time of thawing, can pierce the muscle fibres in the meat and lead to an additional loss of water. Thus thawing can affect the characteristics of the meat.

This amendment to section 5.6, ‘Deep-freezing’, of the product specification does not affect the single document, apart from section 3.2, ‘Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies’, where it explicitly provides for the meat to be marketed fresh or deep-frozen.

Time limits for deep-freezing are indicated in a new paragraph in section 5.6.1 – Time limits for deep-freezing.

These maximum time limits enable the characteristics of the product to be maintained.

This amendment to section 5.6.1, ‘Time limits for deep-freezing’, of the product specification does not affect the single document.

The method for deep-freezing is indicated in a new paragraph in section 5.6.2 – Method of deep-freezing:

In connection with the prohibition on freezing, deep-freezing processes have been proposed, thus ensuring the formation of smaller-sized crystals (owing to a rapid and considerable reduction in temperatures) which have little or no impact on the characteristics of the meat when it is thawed.

This amendment to section 5.6.2, ‘Method of deep-freezing’, of the product specification does not affect the single document.

The date of minimum durability of the products once deep-frozen has been added in a new paragraph under ‘5.6.3 – Packaging of the product specification:

The addition of the date of minimum durability in connection with deep-freezing also affects the single document in the section ‘3.5 Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to’.

5.6.   ‘Link’ section

The ‘Elements justifying the link with the geographical area’ section of the product specification has been entirely rewritten, for two reasons. First of all, it no longer meets current expectations with regard to demonstration of the link. Previously, this section had been very extensive (24 pages), covering the history of livestock rearing practices (15 pages) and the organisation of the sector (9 pages). This information has therefore been summarised so that only elements of interest and of key importance appear. Next, since the request concerns an expansion of the geographical area and of the range of products subject to the PGI, the section has been reviewed to ensure that it demonstrates the link between the product and the geographic origin as defined in the amended product specification.

The conditions found in the environment of the Pyrenees at altitude, including high rainfall, a sufficient amount of sunlight, harsh low temperatures in winter but mild temperatures in summer, have been further fleshed out to explain the grass cover consumed by ewes, the mothers of the lambs. A description has been added of the mountain range in the geographical area to better characterise the terrain from east to west in terms of its link with the climate.

The description of the distribution of sheep farming has been expanded to cover the French Pyrenees in their entirety, where sheep farming continues to predominate over other types of livestock farming. The differences in climatic and, especially, rainfall gradients between different parts of the area explain how three different dairy-type breeds and seven suckler breeds well-adapted to specific local conditions have developed and differentiated from one another there. These particularities are set out and described.

As regards the suckling lamb, the link is made above all via the mother because, as its name indicates, the suckling lamb’s diet is based on its mother’s milk. To preserve this link, the lambs must come exclusively from ewes of hardy local Pyrenean breeds that use the land for grazing. These ewes, which have undergone a process of selection from the relevant animal populations, in particular for hardiness, exhibit the following traits and abilities: a capacity to adapt to the (food or climate) risks faced by the holding on which they are reared. They are easy to manage in herds and are suited to foraging for food (walking, distances covered). According to the PGI product specification for the suckling lamb, it is already possible to use sires of defined meat-type breeds from outside the Pyrenees (Berrichon du Cher, Charollais, Suffolk and Texel). To reinforce the link with the territory, the use of meat-type breeds from outside the Pyrenees for slaughter lambs has not been retained.

It should be recalled that historically, transhumance was commonplace. It is very little practised nowadays. The advent of predators, constraints on land availability and difficulties in hiring shepherds have all made migratory herding a complicated endeavour. However, even for herds that do not migrate, altitudinal zonation of vegetation remains of key importance for herd management, enabling the exchange of feed and grains between operators in the foothills and those in the mountains.

The paragraph has been slightly fleshed out to provide for the option of using finishing centres. The fattening of the lambs outside the farm on which they were born is a traditional practice which developed in the Pyrenees because of the considerable distances between farms in mountain areas and the lack of potential for producing finisher feed in those areas.

Historically, lamb sales have always been a sustaining feature of fairs and markets in the mountain valleys and on the surrounding plains. Lamb meat was intended partly for own consumption, but was also sold in the large towns on the surrounding plains (Toulouse, Bordeaux, Perpignan, etc.) and on the Spanish market.

Emphasis is placed on the complementarity between the suckling lamb and the slaughter lamb. The suckling lambs were sold at the end of the summer or in the autumn to free up sheep pens which had become overcrowded after the sheep had come down from the summer pastures, whereas heavier lambs were kept for longer to finish them in the pens and sell them in winter or spring in time for Easter.

The specific features of suckling lamb meat stay the same. The specific features of slaughter lamb meat have been added.

The last part, establishing the link between the various natural factors of the land and the specific characteristics of the product, has been reworded to refer to the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’. It highlights the complementarity that exists between the various sheep rearing areas of the Pyrenees and the various husbandry and finishing practices used for the lamb. Taken as a whole, both their high mountains and foothills, the Pyrenees are conducive to the development of livestock farming in general and of sheep farming in particular. The ewes have the ability to feed for at least seven months of the year on pastures up in the mountains or on grassy hillsides. The traditional local breeds are adapted to the climatic and soil conditions, husbandry systems or fodder resources that exist there. This selection of breeds has enabled an entire complementary system to operate, thus anchoring ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ to its territory.

The amendment to the ‘Link’ section of the product specification affects the ‘5. Link with the geographical area’ section of the single document.

5.7.   ‘Labelling’ section

The provision:

—	‘the products subject to the Protected Geographical Indication “Agneau de lait des Pyrénées” are labelled in accordance with the regulations in force.

—	The geographical indication will be indicated on the label by the words “Agneau de lait des Pyrénées”.

—	Barring exceptional cases, the logo “Protected Geographical Indication” will be affixed to communication material.’

has been deleted. It has been replaced by the following provision, in accordance with the relevant national requirements:

‘Notwithstanding the general labelling rules, the labelling of the product consists of the following:

—	the protected name “Agneau des Pyrénées” in the same field of vision as the PGI logo;

—	the letters “PGI” next to the protected name;

—

for a lamb less than 45 days old reared under the conditions provided for in the product specification, only the following words may be added: “Agneau de lait” [suckling lamb]. The letters in the term “PGI ” and “Agneau des Pyrénées” may not be less than two thirds the size of the letters in the words “Agneau de lait” [suckling lamb].’

For lambs less than 45 days old, the labelling bears the words ‘Agneau de lait’ [suckling lamb]. This is to preserve the labelling clarification provided by the characteristic ‘Agneau de lait’ [suckling lamb], to which distributors and consumers have become accustomed.

The following sentence has been added:

Adding this provision to the product specification imposes a prohibition on translating the term ‘Pyrénées’ and requires the explicit indication of the country of origin on the labelling. This provision derives from the Regulation registering the name in the register of PDOs and PGIs in 2012. It enables these elements of the conclusions to be preserved, following on from the correspondence between France and Spain at the time of registering the name as a PGI in 2012.

The amendment to the ‘Labelling’ section of the product specification affects the ‘3.6 Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to’ section of the single document.

5.8.   ‘Other’ section

-   Inspection bodies:

The name and contact details of the certification body have been deleted in application of the applicable instructions at national level in order to harmonise the wording of the product specifications. This section now provides the contact details of the authorities responsible for inspections at national level, i.e.: the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) and the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF). The name and contact details of the certification body may be consulted via the INAO website and the European Commission’s database.

This amendment to the ‘Inspection body’ section of the product specification does not affect the single document.

-   National requirements:

The main points to be checked have been added to the national requirements in accordance with the national regulations in force.

This amendment to the ‘National requirements’ section of the product specification does not affect the single document.

-   Annexes

The documents enclosed with the product specification in force, such as testimonies, the list of cheese dairies producing Roquefort in the eastern Atlantic Pyrenees at the turn of the century, economic data on the sector, newspaper articles and a bibliography, have been deleted.

This amendment to the product specification does not affect the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Agneau des Pyrénées’

EU No: PGI-FR-0665-AM01 – 21.5.2021

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s)

‘Agneau des Pyrénées’

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

The ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ is lamb meat derived from female sheep of the following local Pyrenean breeds: Aure-Campan, Barégeois, Basco-Béarnais, Castillonnais, Lourdais, Black-face Manech, Red-face Manech, Montagne Noire, Roussillon Red and Tarasconnais. The suckling lamb is the offspring of a dam from a dairy-type breed (Basco-Béarnais, Black-face Manech or Red-face Manech), and a sire from one of the aforementioned local breeds or from the Berrichon du Cher, Charollais, Suffolk or Texel breeds.

The ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ is, depending on its rearing period: a ‘suckling lamb’, i.e. a young lamb.

—

Reared for no longer than 45 days and fed exclusively on its mother’s milk, it has a carcass in fat-cover class 2 or 3 which, depending on how it is presented, weighs between 4.5 kg and 11 kg. The raw meat is pink to light pink in colour. It is a seasonal product because the lambs are slaughtered from 15 October to 15 June;

—

a ‘slaughter lamb’, i.e. a heavier lamb, slaughtered at an age of between 60 and 160 days and fed on its mother’s milk for at least its first 60 days of life. Its carcass weighs between 13 kg and 22 kg, its conformation class is R or O, and it is in fat-cover class 2 or 3. Its raw meat is characteristically pink in colour and its fat is firm to very firm and white to slightly coloured.

The meat can be sold as a whole carcass or half-carcass wrapped in the caul fat or in the form of primal cuts, fresh or deep-frozen. The following offal may also be marketed under the PGI: the whole pluck, the heart, liver, kidneys, sweetbread, rumen and trotters, either fresh or deep-frozen.

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

3.3.1.   Feeding of the breeding herd

Throughout the year, the ewes spend alternate periods exclusively out in the open, exclusively in their pens, and in a combination of out in the open and in their pens. The sheep are fed on pasture for at least 210 days a year. The compound feedingstuffs are distributed to complement the fodder in the feed ration. In winter, grazing depends on weather conditions, but grassland continues to be the main source of fodder. The winter dietary supplement is based on preserved fodder, grain cereals, straw and compound feedingstuffs.

3.3.2.   Feeding of the lambs

The suckling lambs are fed exclusively on sheep milk through suckling by the dam.

For slaughter lambs, the foundation of their diet is their mother’s milk, which they are fed by suckling. They may, however, also receive complementary feed consisting of fodder, straw and compound feedingstuffs.

The compound feedingstuffs are made from:

—	cereal grains and products derived therefrom;

—	oil seeds or oil fruits and products derived therefrom, with the exception of sources of palm and palm kernel;

—	legume seeds and products derived therefrom;

—	tubers, roots, sugar cane and products derived therefrom: the products derived from sugar cane and sugar beet must not represent more than 5 % of the total weight of the compound feedingstuffs;

—	other grains and products derived therefrom;

—	dehydrated lucerne in the form of pellets;

—	minerals and products derived therefrom, with the exception of bone meal and bone ash;

—	by-products from the fermentation of authorised micro-organisms: yeasts and parts thereof (brewers’ yeast), vinasse [condensed molasses soluble], by-products from the production of L-glutamic acid, starch, pregelatinised starch, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids and propane-1,2-diol.

The authorised additives are as follows:

—	technological additives: antioxidants, binders, and anti-caking agents;

—	sensory additives: flavouring compounds;

—	nutritional additives: vitamins, compounds of trace elements, and amino acids. Urea and its derivatives are prohibited;

—	zootechnical additives: digestibility enhancers, gut flora stabilisers, and other zootechnical additives.

Cereals and products derived therefrom must constitute at least 30 % of the total weight of the compound feedingstuff.

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

The lambs are born and reared (on their holding of birth or, where applicable, at an assembly centre preceding the finishing centre or at the finishing centre) within the geographical area of the ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ PGI.

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

The date of minimum durability is no more than 21 months. The date of minimum durability of the offal is no more than 18 months.

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

For a lamb less than 45 days old reared under the conditions provided for in the product specification, the words ‘Agneau de lait’ [suckling lamb] must be added.

The country of origin, ‘France’, is placed in the same field of vision as the protected designation ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ and the PGI logo. In addition, references to the term ‘Pyrénées’ may not be translated for products covered by the PGI.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

Department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques:

—

The following cantons in their entirety: Baïgourra et Mondarrain; Billère et Coteaux de Jurançon; Gave et Terres du Pont-Long; Hendaye-Côte Basque-Sud; Le Cœur de Béarn; Lescar; Montagne Basque; Nive-Adour; Oloron-Sainte-Marie-1 and Oloron-Sainte-Marie-2; Ouzoum, Gave et Rives du Néez; Pau-1, Pau-2, Pau-3 and Pau-4; Pays de Bidache, Amikuze et Ostabarre; Saint-Jean-de-Luz; and Ustaritz-Vallées de Nive et Nivelle.

—	In the canton of Orthez et Terres des Gaves et du Sel: all municipalities except for Baigts-de-Béarn, Puyoô, Ramous, Saint-Boés and Saint-Girons-en-Béarn.

—	In the canton of Vallées de l’Ousse et du Lagoin: all municipalities except for Limendous and Lourenties.

—	The municipalities of Anglet, Argagnon, Artigueloutan, Bayonne, Biarritz, Castétis, Denguin, Labastide-Cézéracq, Lacq, Lée, Mont, Ousse, Sauvagnon and Serres-Castet.

Department of Hautes-Pyrénées:

—	The following cantons in their entirety: La Haute-Bigorre; La Vallée de la Barousse; La Vallée des Gaves; Lourdes-1 and Lourdes-2; Moyen Adour; Neste, Aure et Louron; and Ossun.

—	In the canton of Vallée de l’Arros et des Baïses: all municipalities except for Bernadets-Dessus, Clarac, Goudon, Libaros, Moulédous, Orieux, Sabarros, Sentous and Tournous-Devant.

—	In the canton of Les Coteaux: the municipalities of Aries-Espénan, Bazordan, Betbèze, Castelnau-Magnoac, Casterets, Caubous, Devèze, Gaussan, Lalanne, Laran, Lassales, Monléon-Magnoac, Monlong, Pouy, Sariac-Magnoac, Thermes-Magnoac and Villemur.

—	The municipalities of Sarouilles and Soues.

Department of Haute-Garonne:

—	The following cantons in their entirety: Bagnères-de-Luchon; and Saint-Gaudens.

—	In the canton of Auterive, all municipalities except for: Auribail, Auterive, Beaumont-sur-Lèze, Capens, Caujac, Cintegabelle, Esperce, Gaillac-Toulza, Grépiac, Grazac, Labruyère-Dorsa, Marliac, Mauressac, Mauzac, Miremont, Montaut, Lagrâce-Dieu, Noé and Puydaniel.

—

The canton de Cazères, except for the municipalities of: Agassac, Ambax, Beaufort, Bérat, Boissède, Cambernard, Castelgaillard, Casties-Labrande, Cazac, Coueilles, Forgues, Frontignan-Savès, Goudex, L’Isle-en-Dodon, Labastide-Clermont, Labastide-Paumès, Lahage, Lautignac, Lherm, Martisserre, Mauvezin, Mirambeau, Molas, Monès, Montastruc-Savès, Montgras, Le Pin-Murelet, Plagnole, Polastron, Poucharramet, Pouy-de-Touges, Rieumes, Riolas, Saint-Araille, Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrolières, Sajas, Savères and Sénarens.

Department of Gers:

—	The municipality of Saint-Blancard.

Department of Ariège:

—	All municipalities except for: Canté, Labatut, Lissac and Saint-Quirc.

Department of Aude:

—	The following cantons in their entirety: Limoux; and Quillan.

—	In the canton of Bram: the municipalities of Escueillens-et-Saint-Just-de-Bélengard, Monthaut, Pomy.

—	In the canton of Carcassone-2: the municipalities of Verzeille and Villefloure.

—	In the canton of Trèbes: the municipalities of Arquettes-en-Val, Caunettes-en-Val, Fajac-en-Val, Labastide-en-Val, Mayronnes, Montlaur, Pradelles-en-Val, Rieux-en-Val, Serviès-en-Val, Taurize, Villar-en-Val and Villetritouls.

—	in the canton of Fabrezan: all municipalities except for Boutenac, Camplong-d’Aude, Fabrezan, Ferrals-les-Corbières, Fontcouverte, Luc-sur-Orbieu, Montséret and Saint-André-de-Roquelongue.

Department of Pyrénées-Orientales:

—	The following cantons in their entirety: Le Canigou; and Les Pyrénées catalanes.

—	In the canton of La Vallée de l’Agly: all municipalities except for Cases-de-Pène, Espira-de-l’Agly, Opoul-Périllos, Rivesaltes, Salses-le-Château and Vingrau.

—	In the canton of La Vallée de la Têt: the municipalities of Ille-sur-Têt and Montalba-le-Château.

—	In the canton of La Côte Vermeille: all municipalities except for Palau-del-Vidre and Saint-André.

—	In the canton of Les Aspres: the municipalities of Caixas, Calmeilles, Llauro, Montauriol, Oms, Passa and Tordères.

—	In the canton of Vallespir-Albères: all municipalities except for Montesquieu-des-Albères, Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines and Villelongue-dels-Monts.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The link to the origin of ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ is based on its reputation and the quality of its meat, which is pink or light pink, depending on its age, this being characteristic of a lamb fed on its mother’s milk. The use of Pyrenean dairy and suckler sheep breeds particularly well-adapted to the area gives these slightly conformed lambs a degree of fat cover ranging from slight to covered with fat.

The Pyrenees are characterised by mountainous areas of varying altitude and hilly areas. The terrain has a strong influence on the climate. The Pyrenees have a highland climate with harsh winters and mild and sunny summers. The proximity of the ocean and the blocking of oceanic air masses by the mountains result in a rather mild climate and high rainfall. Lastly, rainfall, sunlight and temperature vary within one and the same zone, depending on the slopes and their exposure, thus offering a wide variety of climatic conditions. The environmental conditions at altitude, including high rainfall, a sufficient amount of sunlight, harsh low temperatures in winter but mild temperatures in summer allow for grass growth suitable for pastoralism. Animals have been grazed in the Pyrenees for more than seven thousand years. Because of the steep slopes in the mountains and foothills, most land parcels are suited to grazing, particularly in summer. Rearing livestock by grazing is the solution most adapted to making best use of these pastures. That is why a high proportion of farms in the Pyrenees are ruminant (especially cattle and sheep) farms. This system functions only if breeds adapted to the local area are used.

Sheep farming can be found throughout the Pyrenean mountain range where grass grows throughout the year, thanks to the mild and humid climate. The differences in climatic and, especially, rainfall gradients between different parts of the area explain how three different dairy-type breeds and seven suckler breeds well-adapted to specific local conditions have developed and differentiated from one another there.

The terrain results in an altitudinal zonation of vegetation which is made use of in line with the seasons. This is characteristic of sheep husbandry there. Historically, the pastoral ecosystem has centred around the migrations of the grazing stock in order to bring about a rational use of mountain grasses, complemented in particular with fodder and grains.

The ewes of Pyrenean breeds are hardy, well-adapted to climatic variations and to summer grazing in mountain pastures. Such ewes still predominate in the geographical area nowadays. Owing to their hardiness, they have a body type adapted to walking, with long and slender trotters and a rather light body.

The fattening of the lambs is also a traditional practice in the Pyrenees, most often in suckler systems where the sole source of revenue is lamb sales. To achieve the best results, the lambs must therefore be fattened on the spot. Nevertheless, because of the considerable distances between holdings in mountain areas and the lack of potential for producing finisher feed in those areas, some slaughter lambs are traditionally ‘finished’ outside their holding of birth, in a finishing centre.

‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ is produced by methods and know-how that are linked to the territory:

The geographical area has a specific terrain and climate which are well-suited to livestock (especially sheep) farming.

Taken as a whole, both their high mountains and foothills, the Pyrenees are conducive to the development of livestock farming in general and of sheep farming in particular. Their varied terrain and climate have created a situation where mountainous and hilly areas can complement one another.

The ewes feed for at least seven months of the year on pastures up in the mountains and on grassy hillsides.

As they are hardy, these breeds, through their ability to adapt to the soil and climatic constraints of the Pyrenees, have enabled agricultural holdings to persist in challenging areas as part of viable agro-pastoral systems. The altitudinal zonation of vegetation is made use of in line with the seasons and characterises the way sheep farming is managed in the Pyrenees.

The use of local and hardy Pyrenean breeds has led to practices consistent with exploiting the different characteristics of this area (widely dispersed farms: problems of isolation, accessibility of fodder resources, difficulties in gathering the sheep together).

The particular features and diversity of environmental conditions in the Pyrenees have led to the development of ten sheep breeds. Each of these ten breeds, all perfectly adapted to their local area and to livestock management systems in the Pyrenees, have led to the production of distinctive lambs with weak conformation.

The milk ewes are milked, so they must be separated from their lamb while it is still young. Grass growth in this area results in their milk being particularly rich and meeting all the lambs’ nutritional needs. The lambs are fed solely on their mother’s milk through suckling by the dam. The meat of this suckling lamb is in fact pale to light pink. The suckler ewes are not milked and therefore spend the majority of their time with their lambs for at least sixty days, which is enough for the lamb’s ruminant digestive system to develop and for it to transition from milk feeding to feed based on fodder and grains. This two-stage feeding regime, coupled with the age of the lamb – neither two young nor too old – enables a pink-coloured meat to be obtained.

The farmers have preserved their husbandry systems, allowing for these two recognised and appreciated types of lamb to be produced:

‘I have a particular fondness for the suckling lamb of the Pyrenees. Its flesh reflects the sweetness of the milk to a mystical degree. In the Bible, the lamb symbolises innocence, the triumph of life over death, the resurrection. A little of that comes to mind when eating this meat – maternal tenderness and a hint of spice, akin to the promise of Paradise’ Ducasse, Alain (1999), Rencontres Savoureuses, petit traité de l’excellence française, Éditions Plon.

‘The Entreprise Fourcade has been built up by six to seven generations of specialists in the lamb and mutton of the Pyrenees. The “Agneau des Pyrénées” of Tarbes is widely known; the father of Léon Fourcade sent it (without a registered trademark) to Paris.’La qualité agro-alimentaire dans les Pyrénées, Édition Transhumances, 1994.

In 1989, the Confrérie de l’agneau de lait des Pyrénées [Society for the ‘Agneau de lait des Pyrénées’] was founded. Producers in the Pyrenees have consolidated and organised themselves to promote their products since the 1980s (under the ‘Chouria à l’Ouest’ label and holding a discussion on the ‘Primeur Pyrénées’ lamb in the central Pyrenees). In 2007, the trade mark ‘Agneau des Pyrénées’ was created in the central Pyrenees.

Reference to the publication of the specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-7b3a8cf3-e829-4f4f-963e-3cb61014c5c5

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(*1)  Form of presentation intended for the export product.’