COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 14 May 2019

on the publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name ‘Banon’ (PDO)

(2019/C 177/02)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) in conjunction with Article 53(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) France has sent an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification of ‘Banon’ (PDO) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(2) In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

(3) In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 (2), including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Banon’ (PDO) should be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Banon’ (PDO) is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the amendment referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the

Official Journal of the European Union

Done at Brussels, 14 May 2019.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

(1)

OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 of 13 June 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (

OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 36

ANNEX

APPLICATION FOR EAPPROVAL 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

‘Banon’

EU No: PDO-FR-0290-AM02 – 10.1.2018

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Name: Syndicat Interprofessionnel de Défense et de Promotion du Banon

Address:

570, Avenue de la libération

04100 Manosque

FRANCE

Tel. +33 492874755

Fax +33 492727313

Email: v.enjalbert@mre-paca.fr

The group is made up of milk producers, processors and ripeners and 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)

— ☒

Product name

— ☒

Description of product

— ☒

Geographical area

— ☒

Proof of origin

— ☒

Method of production

— ☒

Link

— ☒

Labelling

— ☒

Other: updating of the contact details of the inspection body and of the applicant group, national requirements.

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 within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

5.1. Product name

Under the ‘Product name’ heading, the following provision:

‘The Protected Designation of Origin defined in this specification is: “Banon”.’

has been replaced by:

‘Banon’

The following paragraph has been deleted:

‘The name of “Banon” cheese comes from the name of the municipality of Banon, located in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, a place of fairs and trading since the Middle Ages.’

The name of the PDO is considered to be sufficient in this section of the specification.

5.2. Description of product

The provision ‘The rind is a creamy-yellow colour under the leaves’ is replaced by ‘The rind is a creamy-yellow or golden-brown colour under the leaves’.

As regards the colour of the rind under the leaves, ‘creamy-yellow’ is supplemented by ‘or golden-brown’ to better characterise the product.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘It is a cheese characterised by animal - mainly goat-like - notes, often accompanied by ammoniac and undergrowth aromas, with a slight final bitterness. It has a velvety texture that melts in the mouth.’.

These clarifications stem from the work of the committee in charge of organoleptic examination of the product.

These changes have also been made to the Single Document.

5.3. Geographical area

Under the heading ‘Definition of the geographical area’, the list of municipalities in the geographical area has been updated following changes in the names of certain municipalities in the geographical area. The perimeter has not been changed.

5.4. Proof of origin

The obligation to keep a register of the quantities of milk purchased has been abolished for ‘farming’ operators, because national legislation does not allow them to buy milk. The obligation remains in force for ‘non-farming’ operators.

5.5. Method of production

— breed of the goats:

The following paragraph has been deleted:

‘Until 31 December 2013, dairy goats of the breeds Commune Provençale, Rove and Alpine and from crosses of those breeds must make up at least 60 % of each herd.’

The following paragraph:

‘From 1 January 2014 onwards, the milk used to make “Banon” must come exclusively from goats of the breeds Commune Provençale, Rove and Alpine and their crossbreeds.’

has been replaced by the following:

‘The milk used to make “Banon” must come exclusively from goats of the breeds Commune Provençale, Rove and Alpine and their crossbreeds.’

The deadlines in the specification have been deleted because they have passed.

Those provisions have also been removed from the summary.

— minimum period of grazing and minimum period during which the goats must obtain their rough feed by grazing:

The following paragraph:

‘The goats must graze regularly on the rough grazing and pastures in the area for at least 210 days per year.’

has been replaced by the following:

‘The goats must graze regularly on the rough grazing and pastures in the geographical area for at least 210 days per year.’

The words ‘geographical area’ are more precise than ‘area’ and facilitate inspections.

This amendment has also been made to the Single Document.

The provisions

‘For at least four months a year, they must obtain most of their rough feed by grazing.’

and

‘The goats must graze regularly on the rough grazing and pastures in the geographical area for at least 210 days per year.’

have therefore been removed once.

The minimum period of grazing and the minimum period during which the goats must obtain their rough feed by grazing, referred to twice in the specification, have been removed in order to avoid repetition.

These amendments have also been made to the Single Document.

— restriction on the supply of feed in troughs:

The sentence:

‘The supply of feed in troughs is limited on an annual and daily basis.’

has been deleted, as this sentence adds nothing to the maximum limit values already set out in the specification.

This amendment has also been made to the Single Document.

— supplementary ration:

The words ‘or cereal by-products’ have been added in order not to exclude compound feedingstuffs whose label specifies that they contain cereals and cereal by-products.

This amendment has also been made to the Single Document.

— restriction on purchases of fodder from outside the geographical area:

The sentence ‘Purchases of fodder from outside the area are similarly restricted.’ has been deleted because, having no target value, it does not provide any specific limitation. Besides, the restriction on purchases of fodder from outside the geographical area has been laid down as follows in the current specification:

‘The use of fodder and dehydrated lucerne from outside the geographical area has been limited to 250 kg of raw material a year for each adult goat present.’

This provision has also been removed from the Single Document.

— daily distribution method for dehydrated lucerne:

The following provision:

‘The use of dehydrated lucerne is limited to 400 g of raw material a day for each adult goat present, provided in at least two portions, and to 60 kg of raw material a year for each adult goat present.’

has been replaced by:

‘The use of dehydrated lucerne is limited to 400 g of raw material a day for each adult goat present and to 60 kg of raw material a year for each adult goat present.’

The obligation to distribute dehydrated lucerne in two portions has been deleted, as the small quantities distributed do not justify this precaution (introduced because the ingestion of too much nitrogen can cause a serious metabolic disease, alkalosis).

This amendment has also been made to the Single Document.

— Prohibited types of feed:

The paragraph:

‘Silage and wrapped fodder, cruciferous and other plants and seeds that might give the milk a bad taste are prohibited.’

has been replaced by:

‘Silage and wrapped fodder and cruciferous fodder are prohibited.’

Since the target value ‘and other plants and seeds that might give the milk a bad taste’ is not precise enough to be easily checked, it has been removed.

This amendment has also been made to the Single Document.

— introduction of the ban on GMOs:

The following paragraph has been added:

‘Only plants, by-products and supplementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the animal feed. Transgenic crops are prohibited in all areas of farms producing milk intended for processing into the “Banon” PDO. This prohibition applies to all types of plant likely to be given as feed to dairy animals on the farm and to all crops liable to contaminate such plants.’

This provision makes it possible to preserve the traditional character of the feed and traditional methods of animal feeding.

This provision has also been added to the Single Document.

— origin of the feed:

The following paragraph has been added to the Single Document: ‘As regards the origin of the feed, the production of concentrates is difficult and that of fodder limited owing to the natural factors of the geographical area. As the the origin of the concentrates is not specified, they may come from outside the geographical area. The basic ration comes mainly from the geographical area, but hay from outside the area may be distributed to the goats. The fact that the amount of concentrates and the amount of hay that may come from outside the geographical area is limited means that most of the feed is obtained from the geographical area. The following amounts per goat and per year may come from outside the geographical area:

— 250 kg of raw fodder and dehydrated lucerne, or about 213 kg of dry matter (190 kg of fodder containing an average of 84 % of dry matter corresponds to 160 kg of dry matter, and 60 kg of dehydrated lucerne containing an average of 89 % of dry matter corresponds to 53 kg of dry matter),

— 250 kg of dry concentrate (equivalent to 270 kg of raw material) from outside the geographical area per goat and per year.

Taking into account the goat's average annual intake of 1 100 kg, the share of feed from the geographical area accounts for at least 58 % of the total (in dry matter).’

This addition to the Single Document serves to demonstrate that most of the feed of the goats comes from the geographical area. The feed cannot be obtained entirely from the area owing to the natural factors described under ‘Link with the geographical area’.

— temperature and time limit for renneting:

The paragraph:

‘All physical or chemical processing is prohibited, apart from filtering in order to eliminate macroscopic impurities, cooling to an above-zero temperature for preservation purposes and heating of the milk to a maximum of 35 °C before renneting.’

has been replaced by the following:

As the temperature range for renneting has been strictly defined in the specification registered in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1211/2013 of 28 November 2013 (between 29 °C and 35 °C), and the milk used is raw goat's milk, the intermediate concept of heating temperature has been deleted because it is unnecessary: it refers to the heating of the milk for the renneting phase (temperature already defined).

The provision:

‘In the case of dairy-based production, renneting is carried out no more than 4 hours after the milk collected is last drawn.’

has been replaced by

‘In the case of dairy-based production, renneting is carried out no later than 18 hours after the milk has arrived at the cheese dairy and before 12 noon on the day after the milk collected is last drawn.’

The time limit for renneting in dairy-based production has been modified to allow enterprises to adapt their organisation to the duration of milk collection and to the smallest volume of milk used each time for renneting. The current collection scheme involves the collection of night milk. The last milking is collected around 2.30 am and renneted in its entirety in a large basin (1 000 litres) starting at 6.30 am. However, as there are a smaller number of breeders and the volumes are low, night work should be limited and the renneting of milk should be allowed as from 8.00 am on a small scale (80-litre vats). This may extend the operation until 12 noon.

— moulding phase

The paragraph:

‘Moulding takes place directly once the whey has been drained. The cheeses are moulded into cheese-sieves by hand. Use of a distributor and multi-moulds is permitted. All forms of mechanical moulding are prohibited.’

has been replaced by:

‘Moulding takes place directly once the whey has been drained. The cheeses are moulded into cheese-sieves by hand. Use of a distributor and multi-moulds is authorised, with mechanical assistance during moulding (lift for basins, conveyor belt). All forms of fully mechanical moulding are prohibited; human intervention is required for the distribution of the curd into multi-moulds.’

In order to allow the operators to adapt to the new techniques, it has been specified that mechanical assistance is authorised during the moulding phase (lift for basins, conveyor belt), but human intervention is required for the distribution of the curd in the moulds: all forms of fully mechanical moulding are prohibited.

— draining and mould release phase

The paragraph:

‘Draining is carried out at a temperature of at least 20 °C. The cheese is removed from the mould between 24 and 48 hours after moulding.’

has been replaced by:

‘Draining is carried out at a temperature of at least 20 °C and must last for 18 to 48 hours at the most after moulding. The cheese is not removed from the mould until the end of this phase. The cheeses are then dried at a minimum temperature of 13 °C for at least 24 hours.’

In accordance with the know-how, the duration of each step (between 18 and 48 hours for the draining, at least 24 hours for the drying) and the drying temperature (at least 13 °C) have been added in order to provide a framework for the operators' practices.

— salting time

The salting time has been removed to allow operators to adapt it to the concentration of brine used and still obtain the same result.

— maturation phase

The paragraph:

‘The maturation, which lasts at least 15 days after renneting, takes place in the geographical area and is carried out in two stages:

— Before wrapping, the cheese is matured for 5 to 10 days after renneting at a temperature of at least 8 °C. At the end of this stage, it must have a homogeneous cover with well-established surface flora, a thin creamy-white rind and a thoroughly supple paste.

— The cheese is then wrapped in leaves and matured for at least 10 days at a temperature of 8 °C to 14 °C. The humidity level must be above 80 %.’

has been replaced by:

‘The maturation, which lasts at least 15 days after renneting, is carried out in two stages:

— The cheese is then wrapped in leaves and matured for at least 10 days at a temperature of 8 °C to 14 °C. At the end of this stage, it must have a thin creamy-white or golden-brown rind. The humidity level must be above 80 %.’

The reference to the geographical area has been deleted, because it is unnecessary in this part of the specification. The description of the rind has been moved and placed after the description of the parameters of the maturation phase and made consistent with the description of the product. The description of the paste has been deleted, because that criterion, which requires cutting the cheese, is not checked at this stage.

The paragraph:

‘The cheeses may be soaked in eau-de-vie made from wine or from grape marc before being wrapped in leaves.’

has been replaced by:

‘The cheeses may be soaked in eau-de-vie made from wine or from grape marc or sprayed with eau-de-vie made from wine or from grape marc before being wrapped in leaves.’

In addition to the practice of soaking the cheeses in eau-de-vie made from wine or from grape marc, that of spraying them with eau-de-vie made from wine or from grape marc has been added, as both methods give comparable results.

5.6. Link

The heading ‘Elements justifying the link with the geographical area’ has been entirely rewritten in order to demonstrate more explicitly the link between ‘Banon’ and its geographical area, without altering the substance of the link itself or removing any elements. Demonstrating this highlights, in particular, the link between the geographical environment, which is Mediterranean and suited to goat breeding and pastoralism, and the specific production and maturation know-how required to produce ‘Banon’.

The first part describes the ‘Specificity of the geographical area’ and sets out the natural factors of the geographical area as well as the human factors, highlighting the specific know-how required for breeding the goats and producing the cheeses.

The second part describes the ‘Specificity of the product’, in particular certain elements introduced in the product description.

Finally, the last part explains the ‘Causal link’, i.e. the interaction between the natural and human factors and the product.

The entire link in the specification of the PDO can be found under point 5 of the Single Document.

5.7. Labelling

Under the heading ‘Specific labelling details’, the term ‘designation’ relating to the cheeses has been removed, as the heading and, more generally, the specification only concern cheeses with the designation of origin; the term is therefore unnecessary.

This amendment has also been made to the Single Document.

5.8. Other amendments

Under the heading ‘Applicant group’: the contact details of the group have been amended.

Under the heading ‘References to inspection bodies’, the name and contact details of the official bodies have been updated. In that section are provided 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 can be consulted via the website of the INAO and the European Commission's database.

The table with the main points to be checked has been updated to take account of an amendment (removal of the maximum heating temperature), and a main point to be checked concerning the nature of the milk (raw and whole milk, non-standardised in terms of protein and fat) has been added, in accordance with the current specification.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Banon’

EU No: PDO-FR-0290-AM02 – 10.1.2018

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Banon’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Banon’ is a soft cheese made from raw, whole goat's milk. It is produced by rapid curdling (using rennet). The matured cheese is entirely wrapped in natural brown chestnut leaves and tied up with six to twelve strands of natural raffia forming a radial pattern.

After maturing for a minimum of 15 days, including 10 days in its leaf wrapping, ‘Banon’ is smooth, creamy, velvety and soft. The rind is a creamy-yellow or golden-brown colour under the leaves. It is a cheese characterised by animal - mainly goat-like - notes, often accompanied by ammoniac and undergrowth aromas, with a slight final bitterness. It has a velvety texture that melts in the mouth. With the leaves, the cheese is 75 to 85 mm in diameter and 20 to 30 mm in height. The net weight without leaves after the maturation period is 90 to 110 grams.

The cheese contains a minimum of 40 grams of dry matter per 100 grams of cheese and 40 grams of fat per 100 grams of cheese when completely dry.

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

The basic feed ration of the goats comes mostly from the geographical area. It is obtained exclusively by grazing and/or rough grazing and from dry feed made from legumes and/or grasses and/or spontaneous flora preserved in good conditions.

As soon as the weather and vegetation permit, the goats must be put out to graze and/or rough graze. They must graze regularly on the rough grazing and pastures in the area for at least 210 days per year.

They graze:

— on pastures composed of spontaneous annual or perennial, arboreal, shrubby or herbaceous species,

— on permanent pasture of native flora,

— on temporary pasture of grass or legumes or a mix of these.

For at least four months a year, they must obtain most of their rough feed by grazing.

During the period when the roughage ration must come mainly from grazing, the share of hay must not exceed 1,25 kg of raw material a day for each adult goat present.

The annual share of hay is limited to 600 kg of raw material for each adult goat present.

Green fodder provided in troughs is not authorised for more than 30 non-consecutive days per year.

The use of supplements is limited to 800 g of raw material a day for each adult goat present and to 270 kg of raw material a year for each adult goat present.

At least 60 % of the annual supplementary ration must be composed of cereals or cereal by-products. The use of dehydrated lucerne is limited to 400 g of raw material a day for each adult goat present and to 60 kg of raw material a year for each adult goat present.

The use of fodder and dehydrated lucerne from outside the geographical area has been limited to 250 kg of raw material a year for each adult goat present.

Silage and wrapped fodder and cruciferous fodder are prohibited.

Only plants, by-products and supplementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the animal feed. Transgenic crops are prohibited in all areas of farms producing milk intended for processing into the ‘Banon’ PDO. This prohibition applies to all types of plant likely to be given as feed to dairy animals on the farm and to all crops liable to contaminate such plants.

On the farm, the forage area actually intended for the goat herd must be equal to at least 1 ha of natural and/or artificial grassland for every 8 goats and 1 ha of rough grazing for every 2 goats.

As regards the origin of the feed, the production of concentrates is difficult and that of fodder limited owing to the natural factors of the geographical area. As the origin of the concentrates is not specified, they may come from outside the geographical area. The basic ration comes mainly from the geographical area, but hay from outside the area may be distributed to the goats.

The fact that the amount of concentrates and the amount of hay that may come from outside the geographical area is limited means that most of the feed is obtained from the geographical area.

The following amounts per goat and per year may come from outside the geographical area:

— 250 kg of dry concentrate (equivalent to 270 kg of raw material) from outside the geographical area per goat and per year.

Taking into account the goat's average annual intake of 1 100 kg, the share of feed from the geographical area accounts for at least 58 % of the total (in dry matter).

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

The milk must be produced and the cheese 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

— 3.6.

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

Each cheese must be marketed with an individual label showing the designation of origin in characters at least as large as any other characters on the label.

The EU PDO symbol must be included in the labelling of cheeses with the protected designation of origin ‘Banon’.

The name ‘Banon’ must appear on invoices and commercial documents.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area is composed of the following municipalities:

Department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)

Municipalities fully included in the area: Aiglun, Allemagne-en-Provence, Archail, Aubenas-les-Alpes, Aubignosc, Banon, Barras, Beaujeu, Bevons, Beynes, Bras-d'Asse, Brunet, Céreste, Champtercier, Châteaufort, Châteauneuf-Miravail, Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat, Châteauredon, Clamensane, Cruis, Curel, Dauphin, Digne-les-Bains, Draix, Entrepierres, Entrevennes, Esparron-de-Verdon, Estoublon, Fontienne, Forcalquier, Hautes-Duyes, La Javie, La Motte-du-Caire, Lardiers, La Rochegiron, Le Brusquet, Le Castellard-Mélan, Le Castellet, Le Chauffaut-Saint-Jurson, L'Escale, Les Omergues, L'Hospitalet, Limans, Malijai, Mallefougasse-Augès, Mallemoisson, Mane, Marcoux, Mézel, Mirabeau, Montagnac-Montpezat, Montfuron, Montjustin, Montlaux, Montsalier, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Nibles, Niozelles, Noyers-sur-Jabron, Ongles, Oppedette, Peipin, Pierrerue, Pierrevert, Puimichel, Puimoisson, Quinson, Redortiers, Reillanne, Revest-des-Brousses, Revest-du-Bion, Revest-Saint-Martin, Riez, Roumoules, Sainte-Croix-à-Lauze, Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, Saint-Étienne-les-Orgues, Saint-Jeannet, Saint-Julien-d'Asse, Saint-Jurs, Saint-Laurent-du-Verdon, Saint-Maime, Saint-Martin-de-Brômes, Saint-Martin-les-Eaux, Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, Saint-Vincent-sur-Jabron, Salignac, Saumane, Sigonce, Simiane-la-Rotonde, Sisteron, Sourribes, Thoard, Vachères, Valbelle, Valernes, Villemus, Volonne.

Municipalities partly included in the area: Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Ganagobie, Gréoux-les-Bains, La Brillanne, Les Mées, Lurs, Manosque, Montfort, Oraison, Peyruis, Valensole, Villeneuve, Volx.

For these municipalities, the boundary of the geographical area is marked on the maps lodged with the town hall of the municipalities concerned.

Department of Haute-Alpes (05)

Barret-sur-Méouge, Bruis, Chanousse, Val Buëch-Méouge (for the territory of the former municipality of Châteauneuf-de-Chabre), Éourres, Étoile-Saint-Cyrice, Garde-Colombe, La Piarre, Laragne-Montéglin, Le Bersac, L'Épine, Méreuil, Montclus, Montjay, Montmorin, Montrond, Moydans, Nossage-et-Bénévent, Orpierre, Ribeyret, Rosans, Saint-André-de-Rosans, Sainte-Colombe, Sainte-Marie, Saint-Pierre-Avez, Saléon, Salérans, Serres, Sigottier, Sorbiers, Trescléoux.

Department of Drôme (26)

Aulan, Ballons, Barret-de-Lioure, Eygalayes, Ferrassières, Izon-la-Bruisse, Laborel, Lachau, La Rochette-du-Buis, Mévouillon, Montauban-sur-l'Ouvèze, Montbrun-les-Bains, Montfroc, Montguers, Reilhanette, Rioms, Saint-Auban-sur-l'Ouvèze, Séderon, Vers-sur-Méouge, Villebois-les-Pins, Villefranche-le-Château.

Department of Vaucluse (84)

Aurel, Auribeau, Buoux, Castellet, Gignac, Lagarde-d'Apt, Monieux, Saignon, Saint-Christol, Saint-Martin-de-Castillon, Saint-Trinit, Sault, Sivergues, Viens.

5. Link with the geographical area

‘Banon’ originates in Haute-Provence around the municipality of Banon. It is a dry mid-range mountain region with landscapes made up of hills and plateaux. The climate is Mediterranean.

The area is characterised by a lack of water, as the groundwater runs deep inside the earth and the surface water receives exceptional and highly irregular precipitation mainly in the autumn and spring, with a marked shortage of rain in the summer.

The geographical area of ‘Banon’ is characterised by not very fertile soils that are mainly chalky, permeable and excellent at absorbing rainwater.

In that environment, low-density forest vegetation consisting of Aleppo pine, oak, broom, boxwood and scented plants alternates with heaths featuring scattered coppices and bushes and crops adapted to the harsh Provençal climate prevailing at medium altitudes: dry, sunny and often rather cold in the winter. It is an environment that provides areas well suited to rough grazing by goat herds.

The natural conditions of this region explain why pastoralism and low-yielding crops are an important part of its overall economy.

The goats feed essentially on pastureland and in forage areas. The breeders have introduced a specific production system incorporating the diversity of natural resources. Grazing combines three types of resources: natural grassland, woods and nitrogen-rich legumes. Most breeders tend their own goats. This enables them to supplement the goats' feed by letting them graze on sainfoin or lucerne growing on grassland, depending on the feed obtained from rough grazing and the season.

Provence is a region where there is a tradition of using rennet to make cheese, in contrast to northern France, which has a ‘lactic’ tradition (slow curdling lasting approximately 24 hours). As early as in the 15th century, King René was offered ‘one of those small soft cheeses, from rennet’; the reference to rennet is clear.

The cheese-sieves traditionally used in Provence had large holes, indicating that the curd was rennet-based, as a lactic type of curd would leak out from such sieves.

In addition, the specific way of wrapping ‘Banon’ has a twofold objective: on the one hand, it helps preserve the cheese and, on the other, it is a method of production. It is a way of processing the fresh cheese which takes into account the need both to preserve the cheese and to improve it.

The product is processed principally by wrapping it in chestnut leaves. This process marks the transition from tomme to ‘Banon’. The leaves insulate the cheese from the air and serve as an adjuvant, so that the cheese can acquire its aromatic characteristics.

Although it would seem that the leaves of numerous species could be used for the cheese (the vine plant, the chestnut tree, the plane tree, the walnut tree, etc.), in fact chestnut leaves must be used because of their solid structure and the quality of their tannin.

The history of ‘Banon’ starts at the end of the 19th century. Working on land that had little agronomic potential, local farmers tried to use the area's meager natural resources to best advantage: they engaged in subsistence mixed farming on a few parcels of good land and collected wood, hunted for game and picked mushrooms, small fruit, truffles and lavender in the less cultivated areas of the forest or heath. In addition to having a pig and a small poultry yard, each family also raised a small domestic herd composed of ewes but also of a few goats. These are complementary animals both on the land, where they make the most of the heath and surrounding undergrowth, and in terms of their economic usefulness. Sheep were used for meat, while the purpose of the goat as the ‘poor man's cow’ was to produce milk. The milk was consumed by the family but was also processed into cheese, which was the only way of preserving its nutritive value for a longer period of time.

The cheese was intended mainly for home consumption and any commercial value came from production above and beyond the needs of the family. Surplus cheeses then started to be sold at local markets.

It was precisely Banon, the administrative centre of the canton and the geographical centre of the Lure and Albion regions, a crossroads between major communication routes that was the most important venue for cheese fairs and markets.

The first reference to wrapped tommes of goat's cheese with the name ‘Banon’ can be found in the book ‘

Cuisinière provençale

’, written by Marius Morard in 1886.

The post-war period saw the gradual introduction of new cheesemaking techniques. Goat herds became specialised and cheesemaking expanded beyond the home: while the cheese had formerly been produced first and foremost for the family's needs and secondarily for sale, now it began to be produced above all for sale, with any surpluses being consumed by the family.

According to J.M. Mariottini's study ‘

A la Recherche d'un fromage: le “Banon” éléments d'histoire et d'ethnologie

’, rennet has always been used in the production of ‘Banon’, and it remains one of the rare cheeses to be made using this technique.

‘Banon’ is a soft cheese made from raw, whole goat's milk. It is produced by rapid curdling (using rennet or soft curd). The matured cheese is entirely wrapped in natural brown chestnut leaves and tied up with six to twelve strands of natural raffia forming a radial pattern.

‘Banon’ is characterised by:

— a creamy-yellow or golden-brown rind under the leaves,

— a velvety texture that melts in the mouth,

— animal - mainly goat-like - notes, often accompanied by ammoniac and undergrowth aromas, with a slight final bitterness.

The geographic area is influenced by the Mediterranean. Its soils are not very fertile; they mainly contain chalk, which usually shows through at the surface and does not retain water. These factors have resulted in scrubland vegetation comprising heath with gorse, hawthorn, blackthorn, rock rose, juniper, lavender, savory, thyme as well as chestnut trees. It is an ideal environment for goat breeding and pastoralism.

The use of soft curd is necessary because of the prevailing climatic conditions (high temperatures and dryness). Without specific techniques it is impossible in this region to cool the milk and then keep it at a low temperature in order to allow lactic bacteria to work without the milk turning sour. Therefore the curdling, i.e. the coagulation, of the milk must be activated with rennet.

Wrapping the tommes of cheese helped provide food all year round, in particular in the long winter months when the goats did not give milk.

‘Banon’ results from the combination of all these factors: a poor environment suited to extensive goat breeding and made the most of by man, a hot and dry climate leading naturally to the use of renneted curd and a processing technique (wrapping) permitting the long-term preservation of the cheeses.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-3ab11b39-00cf-48f7-a2b3-ac5e71b90836