Document type: answer to question 10039 published in the Journal officiel de la République française of 29/08/2023
Authors: question: Sandra REgol (Ecologist - NUPES - Bas-Rhin). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty
Question: Sandra Regol asks the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty about the farming methods used in rearing animal products sold under SIQO (official signs of identification of quality and origin), following a proposal by the Association Justice Animaux Savoie. Currently, too many quality labels fail to provide sufficient guarantees of animal welfare. For example, intensive farming with zero grazing is permitted for goats whose milk is used in the production of the "Crottin de chavignol" PDO; grazing is not guaranteed by the requirements of "Emmental de Savoie" IGP; and Red Label pigs can be kept in concrete units all their lives at very high densities. At a time when the French are increasingly concerned about animal welfare and want clear information on the food products they buy, it is vital that official labels should set an example by prohibiting the use of intensive farming practices. She therefore asks that the obligation to graze livestock should be included in all SIQO specifications, and would like to know what is intended in this respect.
Answer: The French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty is responsible for policies relating to official signs of identification of quality and origin (SIQO): red label, appellation d'origine [protected designation of origin appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) and appellation d'origine protégée (AOP/PDO)], protected geographical indication (PGI), traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG) and organic farming. SIQOs are voluntary schemes, subject to regulatory oversight, government control and protection against false use to protect operators and consumers. They also carry different guarantees and promises:
- the guarantee of origin for AOC, PDO and PGI;
- the guarantee of superior quality for Label Rouge;
- the guarantee of traditional character for STG and
- the guarantee of respect for the environment and animal welfare for organic farming.
Other than for organic farming, sets of specifications drawn up by operators in the various sectors define the conditions under which products are produced and prepared. The national committees of the Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité (INAO), which examine proposed specifications concerning the production conditions to be respected by operators, are partnership bodies where professionals contribute their expertise as part of a dialogue between all interested parties, including consumers and public authorities. Representatives of consumers and environmental protection associations have a place on INAO bodies, and are thus involved in the debates on producer constraints and consumer and societal expectations, which they must take into account in dealing with the content of specifications. SIQO specifications, excluding those for organic farming, are in fact based solely on the desire of producers for their practices and know-how to be recognized. That said, the composition and evolution of the national committees ensure that whenever a request for a change is made, the content of the specifications is examined in light of social, technical and climatic developments. The economic viability of the proposed modifications for operators is also examined. It should be added that, in the case of PDOs, PGIs and TSGs, the national review of applications is followed by an examination by the European Commission. GI regulations fall within the remit of the European Union, and the French legislator cannot impose the introduction of provisions into the specifications for PGIs and PDOs. However, on March 31, 2022, the European Commission put forward a draft regulation on GIs, of which one of the aims is to "contribute to improving the sustainability of the Union's food system by offering the possibility of including sustainability commitments in specifications". As part of the ongoing discussions, France is supporting the opportunity for producers to highlight the production commitments they have made, being of the belief that such commitments could act as an incentive in the implementation of good practices, including in the realm of animal welfare. In order to mobilize all stakeholders around these issues for the future, INAO has organized nine regional meetings across France in 2023 for ODGs with responsibility for managing guidelines, on the theme of societal expectations and sustainability. These days provide an opportunity for professionals to discuss the steps already taken by ODGs, sectors or federations. The discussions resulting from these days will feed into future developments in the specifications.
