Creamery step closer to safeguarding its cheese
WENSLEYDALE Creamery is a step closer to safeguarding its cheese after changing the name it is seeking to protect with European Union legislation.
The creamery at Hawes is applying to the EU for protected designation of origin status for Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese. The application is being backed by the Yorkshire Post's Uniquely Yorkshire campaign and, if granted, it would mean that no producers outside the area could make a cheese with the same name.
The company has now satisfied all of Defra's requirements and the application will now be submitted for a final two-week consultation before going forward to Brussels in August.
The creamery originally chose Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese as its title to protect but during the UK consultation earlier this year it revised its bid to Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese after concerns were raised over the exact wording.
The company was advised the simpler title of Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese would be enough to ensure no manufacturers outside the designated Wensleydale area would be legally allowed to produce a cheese with that name. The company will, however, continue to use Real Yorkshire Wensleydale for its own branding.
Earlier this year the Yorkshire Post, together with representatives from the creamery, delivered a petition to Richmond Tory MP William Hague with thousands of signatures backing the campaign. Other supporters include TV chefs Brian Turner and James Martin as well as businesses and MPs across Yorkshire.
David Hartley, managing director of the creamery, said: "We are now officially a step closer to achieving protected designation of origin, which is fantastic news. At this point we would like to thank Yorkshire Post readers and all of the 15,000 people who have supported us by signing the petition as part of the Post's Uniquely Yorkshire campaign.
"The messages of goodwill we've received from the people of Yorkshire and beyond continues to be a great support to us... We hope that we will soon be able to report to our supporters that our application is in Brussels and that we are a step closer to protecting an important part of Yorkshire's heritage."
Protected designation of origin aims to promote and protect food products in the EU and is used to describe foods produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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