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 ‘Beurre d’Isigny’ (PDO)

(2019/C 177/03)

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 ‘Beurre d’Isigny’ (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 ‘Beurre d’Isigny’ (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 ‘Beurre d’Isigny’ (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 APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

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

‘Beurre d'Isigny’

EU No: PDO-FR-0138-AM01 — 19.10.2017

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Syndicat Professionnel de Défense des Producteurs de Lait et Transformateurs de Beurre et Crème d'Isigny-sur-Mer — Baie des Veys (Professional Union defending the interests of the Milk Producers and Butter and Cream Makers of Isigny-sur-Mer — Baie des Veys)

2, rue du Docteur Boutrois

14230 Isigny-sur-Mer

FRANCE

Tel. +33 231513310

Fax +33 231923397

Email: ODG.beurrecremeisigny@isysme.com

Composition: The group is made up of milk producers and butter manufacturers. It therefore has a legitimate right to propose the amendments.

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 (contact details of the relevant Member State department and of the applicant group, contact details of the inspection body, national requirements)

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☐

Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

— ☒

Amendment 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. ‘Description of product’ section

When the product specification was first registered in 1996, it covered both products: ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ and ‘Crème d'Isigny’; the section describing the product characteristics has now been amended to place the focus solely on ‘Beurre d'Isigny’.

Furthermore, the description of the colour of the product has been broadened to take account of seasonal variations in the dairy cows' diet, which affects the butter's colour. Instead of ‘buttercup yellow’, the colour is now defined as ranging ‘from ivory to buttercup yellow’. The description of the texture of the product as ‘smooth’ has been supplemented with the words ‘easily spreadable’. To better describe the product, the term ‘fragrant’, which is of little descriptive value, has been deleted. Instead, the product's scent is described as: ‘scents of fresh cream and hazelnuts’. It is also added that the butter ‘may be textured to make it suitable for lamination, so as to cater for all the product's potential uses’. This section also specifies that the butter ‘may be salted’ — which appears solely in the ‘Production method’ section of the current product specification. Lastly, the fat content of the two types of butter has been added: minimum 82 % fat for unsalted butter and 80 % fat for salted butter.

Thus the wording of the specification in force: ‘These two dairy products boast outstanding characteristics. Their natural colour is buttercup yellow. They are fragrant and have a smooth texture.’

has been replaced by:

‘The natural colour of “Beurre d'Isigny” ranges from ivory to buttercup yellow. Its smooth texture makes it easily spreadable. The butter often has scents of fresh cream and hazelnuts. It may be textured to make it suitable for lamination and it may be salted.

The unsalted butter has a fat content of over 82 %, whereas the fat content for salted butter is over 80 %.’

This paragraph has also been added to point 3.2 of the single document, replacing the sentence in the summary which describes the product as ‘Butter with a natural buttercup yellow colour, as it is exceptionally rich in carotenoids.’

The reference to it ‘being exceptionally rich in carotenoids’ has also been included in the section on the causal link between the product specification and the single document, as the product description does not contain a target value for the butter's carotenoid content.

5.2. ‘Geographical area’ section

The section of the product specification entitled ‘Definition of the geographical area’ sets out all the steps that take place in the geographical area. The names of the area's various municipalities have also been updated.

The purpose of these amendments is to clarify the various steps and update the list of the municipalities, without altering the boundaries of the geographical area.

The product must be packaged within the geographical area. Packaging must therefore take place as soon as possible after production, partly to avoid the butter deteriorating in quality due to oxidation of the butterfat (which often occurs if the product is transported for long periods) and partly to avoid fraud (adulteration through mixing the butter with cheaper alternatives). The document also specifies that any freezing/deep freezing has to take place within the geographical area of origin. The intention of this amendment is to improve traceability and guarantee that the steps to be carried out in the geographical area take place successively and without any undue interruption.

5.3. ‘Proof of origin’ section

In the light of national legislative and regulatory developments, the text of the product specification under the heading ‘Evidence that the product originates from the defined geographical area’ has been consolidated to bring together provisions on declaration requirements and keeping registers for product traceability and monitoring production conditions.

New paragraphs have been therefore been added:

— the operator ID declaration and operators' various other declaration obligations, particularly as regards temporary cessation of production (‘prior declaration of non-intent to produce’ and ‘prior declaration of resumption of production’);

— ‘record keeping’, setting out livestock farmers' obligations and replicating existing national provisions applicable to butter manufacturers; and

— the control mechanisms already provided for in existing national provisions: ‘The final stage of this entire procedure is that analytical and organoleptic tests are carried out without warning on random samples of packaged, ready-to-sell products.’

5.4. ‘Method of production’ section

The product specification provides more details on a number of aspects of the production method so as to better describe the production conditions for the milk and for making it into ‘Beurre d'Isigny’. These aspects strengthen the link with the geographical area.

Provisions on the management of the dairy herd (breed, feed) have been added to enable the traditional practices to be recorded.

Herd management

The dairy herd is defined as follows:

‘For the purpose of this product specification, “herd” means the entire bovine dairy herd of a holding, composed of lactating cows and dry cows.’

This definition in the product specification aims to clearly set out what livestock is referred to when using the terms ‘dairy herd’ and ‘dairy cows’, thus providing a framework for checks and avoiding any confusion.

In order to establish the link between the product and the geographical area, the requirement that grass constitutes the herd's diet (whether through grazing or hay), in accordance with the local tradition in the geographical area of grassland-based livestock farming, has been ensured by the following provisions:

— ‘The herd must be put out to pasture for a period of at least seven months.’

— ‘At least 50 % of the main forage area of each holding must comprise grass. Each lactating cow must be allocated at least 0,35 hectares of meadow (natural, temporary or annual), of which at least 0,2 hectares are pasture, or of which at least 0,1 hectares are pasture supplemented with hay.’

Breed

To ensure that a significant amount of the milk used to make ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ comes from cows of the Normande breed (this being a component of the link between the geographical area and the product), the following has been added:

‘Milk from each collection used by the manufacturer to make “Beurre d'Isigny” must come from herds where at least 30 % of the cows are dairy cows of the Normande breed.’

To define the concept of ‘collection’ and specify how compliance with the provision will be monitored, the following has also been added:

‘A “collection” is defined as the total amount of milk collected and used by a manufacturer within a 48-hour period.’

These clarifications have also been made to point 3.3 of the single document.

The herd's diet

To establish the link between the product and the geographical area through the majority of the dairy cows' diet originating from the geographical area, it has been added that 80 % of the herd's basic ration must come from the area, and on average at least 40 % of that ration during the grazing period and at least 20 % of the daily ration during the rest of the year must consist of fresh grass or hay. In addition, a positive list of authorised fodder has been drawn up in order to better define the type of fodder used. The following provisions have therefore been added to the product specification:

‘80 % of the herd's basic ration, expressed as dry matter, must come from the geographical area. It must consist of the following fresh or preserved fodder: grass, corn, cereals or protein crops that are immature (the entire plant), straw, lucerne, fodder beet, root vegetables and dehydrated beet pulp.’

‘For the minimum period of 7 months when the cows are put out to pasture, on average at least 40 % of the feed ration, expressed as dry matter, must consist of fresh grass or hay. For the rest of the year, the proportion of grass in the daily feed ration may not be less than 20 %, expressed as dry matter.’

These provisions on the herd's diet are also included under point 3.3 of the single document.

For dairy cows, the amount of supplementary feed provided is restricted to 1 800 kg, expressed as dry weight, per cow in the herd per calendar year. This is to avoid this feed constituting too large a proportion of the food supply, and to ensure that the basic ration comes from the geographical area.

The following paragraph has been added:

‘The amount of supplementary feed provided is restricted to 1 800 kg, expressed as dry weight, per cow in the herd per calendar year.’

This provision has also been added to point 3.3 of the single document.

The product specification states that several products and raw materials may not be used to feed lactating cows, owing to their adverse impact on the organoleptic characteristics of the milk. The following paragraph has therefore been added:

‘The following may not be used in the basic ration or as supplementary feed: cabbage, turnip, turnip rape and rapeseed given as green-feed.

The following raw materials may not be used in supplementary feeding stuffs pursuant to the classification in Part C to Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 on the Catalogue of feed materials:

— Palm, groundnut, sunflower and olive oils, as such or isomers thereof (Class 2.20.1)

— Milk products and products derived thereof (Class 8)

— Land animal products and products derived thereof (Class 9)

— Fish, other aquatic animals and products derived thereof (Class 10), with the exception of cod liver oil.

— Miscellaneous (Class 13), with the exception of glucose molasses.

Lastly, urea and its derivatives, being nutritional additives defined in Annex 1 to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition, are prohibited.’

These elements are also referred to under point 3.3 of the single document.

To better describe current practices, two sections have been added, each referring to a different stage in the manufacture of the butter: ‘collection and receipt of the milk’ and ‘production and packaging’.

Collection and receipt of the milk

To avoid any deterioration in quality of the raw material on the farm, the time that the milk used to make ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ can be stored has been limited.

Furthermore, to improve traceability, no transhipment of milk may take place between the holdings and the plant where the butter is made.

Lastly, a parameter specifying the acidity of the raw milk has been added to guarantee that the raw material has not suffered any deterioration in quality.

Reference to these various aspects is made in the following provision:

‘Collection must take place a maximum of 48 hours after the first milking. The milk collected on the holdings is transported and unloaded at the creamery without any transhipment. Upon receipt, the acidity of the raw milk must be between 14 and 16° Dornic, i.e. a pH of between 6,6 and 6,85.’

The whole of this provision has been reiterated under point 3.3 of the single document.

Production and packaging

Skimming and pasteurisation

A section has been added concerning skimming and pasteurisation. It states that ‘the milk withdrawal period prior to skimming must last for no more than 48 hours following receipt’, in order to preserve the quality of the raw material.

The two pasteurisation stages which enable the product in question to be produced have been added as follows:

‘Prior to skimming, the full-cream milk collected may be subjected to initial pre-pasteurisation at 74 °C. After skimming, the cream is pasteurised at a temperature of between 86 and 95 °C for 30 to 180 seconds.’

This provision will complement the statement in the existing product specification that ‘The milk and cream must be pasteurised’.

In addition, references to national legislative and regulatory requirements with regard to livestock and the milk and butter have been deleted.

Furthermore, a maximum period of time between finishing skimming of the milk and pasteurisation has been set to preserve the quality of the raw material: ‘The cream must be pasteurised within no more than 36 hours after finishing skimming’.

To define the types of cream that may be used to make ‘Beurre d'Isigny’, it is stated that ‘Cream to be used to make butter has a minimum fat content of 35 g per 100 g of product’.

As regards the various uses of the product at the time of skimming and pasteurisation, the following text has been added: ‘light cream, raw cream, sterilised cream and UHT cream may not be used to produce the butter’.

This phrase has also been added under paragraph 3.3 of the single document.

The list of substances that may not be used to make ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ has also been expanded by specifying that buttermilk may not be used, nor is it allowed to add any additives, processing aids or any other ingredient, with the exception of milk starter cultures.

The paragraph:

‘The following substances may not be used to produce or make “Beurre d'Isigny”:

— whey cream, reconstituted, frozen or deep-frozen cream,

— colourings or antioxidants,

— or deacidifiers intended to lower the acidity of the milk or cream,’

has therefore been replaced by:

‘Light cream, raw cream, sterilised cream and UHT cream may not be used to produce the butter.

Whey cream, buttermilk, reconstituted, frozen or deep-frozen cream, colourings or antioxidants, deacidifiers intended to lower the acidity of the milk or cream, additives, processing aids or any other ingredient, with the exception of milk starter cultures, may not be used for the production of cream used to make “Beurre d'Isigny”’.

The provision stating that ‘all processes aimed at increasing the non-fat solid content, particularly through the incorporation of dairy starter cultures during working of the butter’ has been moved to the section entitled ‘Seeding and churning’; it restates and delineates the various stages involved in manufacturing the butter itself particularly the working (or churning) stage.

The provision that ‘up to 2 g of salt may be added for every 100 g of butter’ has also been moved to the section on ‘Seeding and churning’, and the limit of 2 g per 100 g has been removed in view of the fact that it is now stipulated in the general regulations.

Seeding and churning

A section has also been created to separate the instructions for seeding from those on churning. It mentions specifically that the seeding of the cream with lactic cultures takes place ‘in the plant where the butter is made’ within 48 hours of finishing skimming the milk. It has also been added that no more than 72 hours may elapse between the receipt of the milk and the seeding of the cream with lactic cultures.

The method of producing the butter is also described in greater detail, adding that this is done through the churning of seeded and matured cream (in a butter-making machine or churn), the resultant grains of butter being worked and, where appropriate, washed, and the finished butter having to have a pH of no more than 6.

Reducing the pH of the butter by any process other than biological maturation is prohibited. Addition of concentrated lactic acid permeate and aromatic yeast during the butter making process (the NIZO process) is also explicitly forbidden. The option of adding up to 2 g of salt per 100 g of butter has also been deleted, given that this has been included in the general regulations.

The section of the product specification on ‘Seeding and churning’ therefore reads as follows:

‘The cream used to make “Beurre d'Isigny” is seeded in a butter plant no later than 48 hours after the milk has been skimmed, and no later than 72 hours after receipt of the milk, at a temperature of between 9 °C and 15 °C. It undergoes biological maturation for at least 12 hours at a temperature of between 9 °C and 15 °C, before being churned in a butter-making machine or churn. The grains of butter are subsequently worked and, where necessary, washed. At the end of the production process, the butter must have a pH of no more than 6.

Any process aimed at increasing the non-fat solid content, particularly by adding dairy starter cultures during the working of the butter, is prohibited. Similarly, any process to reduce the pH of the butter other than by biological maturation of the cream, particularly the addition of concentrated lactic acid permeate and aromatic yeast during the butter-making process (NIZO process), is prohibited.

Salt may be added to the butter within statutory limits.’

As regards ‘texturing’, it is stated that ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ may undergo texturing to make it more suitable for use by bakers and pastry chefs:

‘“Beurre d'Isigny” can undergo the physical treatment of crystallisation, enabling it to acquire plasticity and mechanical resistance and resist without melting (dry butter) so that it can be used as a raw material in food preparations, specifically bakery and pastry products.’

This operation is necessary, as the melting point of the butter varies considerably depending on the season: it is softer in summer and harder in winter. Differences in the melting points stem from differences in the fatty acid composition of the butterfat content. Processing the butter reduces this variation, ensuring a more uniform consistency throughout the year. This transformation of the texture of the butter makes it eminently suitable for use in lamination. Such treatment does not alter the taste of the butter in any way. The butter was already being processed in this way when the PDO ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ was registered, but this fact had not been included in the product specification registered. Bakery and patisserie products enable all the qualities of the PDO ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ to find another form of expression.

Details of the packaging process are provided in order to lay down certain practices. A mention has been added that the butter, packaged as a unit of between 1 kg and a maximum 25 kg, may be frozen or deep-frozen for a maximum of 12 months. The butter must be frozen or deep-frozen no later than 10 days after the texturing stage (for textured butter) or no later than 30 days after manufacture (for non-textured butter). In such cases, the butter must be kept at a temperature between -18 °C and -23 °C.

Freezing the butter packaged in 1 kg sheets and in containers of more than 10 kg caters for the needs of certain firms operating in the food industry (bakeries, pastry manufacturers and biscuit manufacturers, etc.), which require butter with a consistency that confers certain specific characteristics required for their production processes. Freezing or deep-freezing for up to 12 months does not alter the butter's organoleptic characteristics. This standard practice, widely used in the dairy industry, has indeed proven its usefulness for conserving and preserving organoleptic qualities.

As regards packaging the butter, a specification has been added stating that the maximum unit of sale is 25 kg. This provision is in keeping with the tradition of packaging ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ in large containers (such as 20 to 200 litre wooden tubs, used in the 18th and 19th centuries). Butter may, however, be transported in heavier packaging units from one butter-making plant to another within the geographical area.

The relevant provision in the product specification is as follows:

‘“Beurre d'Isigny” is packaged in sales units that do not exceed 25 kg in weight. Butter may be transported in heavier packaging units from one butter-making plant to another within the defined geographical area.

“Beurre d'Isigny” may be frozen or deep-frozen and kept at a temperature of between -18 and -23 degrees C solely if it is packaged in units of no less than 1 kg and no more than 25 kg for a period of time of no more than 12 months. The product is frozen or deep-frozen at most 10 days after production, in the case of textured butter, or at most 30 days after manufacture, in the case of non-textured butter.’

These rules have been partly reiterated under point 3.5 of the single document, ‘Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers’.

5.5. Link

The section of the product specification entitled ‘Link to the geographical area’ has been entirely rewritten to make the link between ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ and its geographical area more explicit, without making any fundamental changes. The milk production conditions have been specifically highlighted, especially the fact the cows' diet being based on the optimal use of grass, together with a long grazing period, makes it possible to achieve the milk fat content suitable for making ‘Beurre d'Isigny’, a process which requires skill and experience. We are taking this opportunity to delete the reference to ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ being rich in oleic acid, as it is not considered to be sufficiently specific.

The point on the ‘Specificity of the geographical area’ restates the geographical area's natural and human factors, summarising historical aspects and highlighting relevant specific know-how.

The point on the ‘Specificity of the product’ showcases some of the elements introduced in the description of the product.

Finally, the point ‘Causal link’ explains the interactions between the natural and human factors and the product.

The link referred to in the PDO's product specification is comprehensively reiterated under point 5 of the single document.

5.6. Labelling

To clarify the aspects that enable consumers to identify the product:

— a statement has been added to the effect that products qualifying for the designation of origin must bear an individual label including the name of the designation of origin, and the letters on that label must be at least two thirds the size of the largest characters on the label. This rule does not apply to the logo if the name of the designation is found elsewhere on the labelling;

— the terms which must appear on the logo displayed on the packaging have changed: ‘protégée’ (protected) replaces ‘contrôlée’ (controlled). Printing the logo on the label is the responsibility of the operator tasked with producing the labelling;

— the European Union's PDO symbol must be placed right next to the logo (adjacent to or above the other, with no other information between them).

The provision prohibiting using the words ‘Isigny’ or ‘Isigny-sur-mer’ or any other word, graphic or illustration evoking that area to refer to products not meeting the conditions laid down in the product specification has been removed, as this is not relevant to the product specification.

The paragraphs:

‘A logo bearing the words “Beurre d'Isigny — Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée” or “Crème d'Isigny — Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée” must be affixed to or printed on the wrappers or containers; it is the operator's responsibility to ensure this is done.

Using the words “Isigny”, “Isigny-sur-Mer” or any other word, graphic or illustration evoking that area for the purpose of marketing butter which has not been produced, packaged and marketed in conformity with the decree conferring the designation is prohibited.’

have been replaced by:

‘Each pack of PDO “Beurre d'Isigny” placed on the market must bear an individual label that includes the name of the designation of origin written in letters at least two thirds the size of the largest characters on the label.

A logo bearing the words “Beurre d'Isigny — Appellation d'Origine Protégée” must be affixed to or printed on the wrappers or containers; it is the operator's responsibility to ensure this is done.

The European Union's PDO symbol is placed right next to the logo, the one adjacent to or above the other, with no other information separating them. The minimum dimensions of the designation of origin do not apply to the logo if the designation can already be found elsewhere on the labelling.’

This change has also been made under point 3.6 of the single document, ‘Specific rules applicable to the labelling of the product to which the designation refers’.

5.7. ‘Other’ section

In the section on the ‘Competent authority of the Member State’, the address of the INAO has been updated.

In the section on the ‘Requesting group’, the contact details of the group have been updated.

In the section of the product specification on ‘References to the inspection body’, the name and contact details of the official bodies have been updated. Under this heading, the contact details of the French authorities responsible for inspections at the national level are now provided, 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 can be consulted via the website of the INAO and in the European Commission's database.

A section on ‘National requirements’ has been added to the product specification. It sets out in a table the main points to check, their reference values and the evaluation method.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Beurre d'Isigny’

EU No: PDO-FR-0138-AM01 — 19.10.2017

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Beurre d'Isigny’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oil, etc.)

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

The natural colour of ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ ranges from ivory to buttercup yellow. Its smooth texture makes it easily spreadable. The butter often has scents of fresh cream and hazelnuts. It may be textured to make it suitable for lamination and it may be salted.

The unsalted butter has a fat content of over 82 %, whereas the fat content for salted butter is over 80 %.

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

To guarantee a close link between the locality and the product through the herd being fed on grass from the geographical area, the dairy cows graze for at least seven months of the year and the holding must have a minimum area under grass of 0,35 ha for each dairy cow milked, of which a minimum of 0,2 ha is accessible from the milking parlour, or a minimum of 0,1 ha of grassland is accessible from the milking parlour with grass or hay provided as supplementary fodder. Each holding must have a main forage area comprising at least 50 % grass.

The entirety of the dairy cows' diet cannot be sourced from the geographical area. Indeed, the dairy cows' protein requirements cannot always be sourced from land cultivated within the geographical area. Neither can the origin of the raw materials constituting the supplementary feed be guaranteed. At least 80 % of the fodder-based basic ration, expressed as dry matter, of the herd per year is produced within the geographical area. Given that the basic ration comprises around 70 % of the dairy cows' total diet, the proportion of feed originating from the area can be estimated as at least approximately 56 %.

Grass in its different forms comprises at least 40 % on average of the basic ration during the minimum 7-month-long grazing period and at least 20 % of the daily ration for the rest of the year. The amount of supplementary feed provided is restricted to 1 800 kg per cow in the herd per calendar year.

The types of authorised fodder are: grass, corn, cereals or protein crops that are immature (the entire plant), straw and lucerne (fresh or preserved), fodder beet, root vegetables and dehydrated beet pulp.

Cabbage, turnip, turnip rape and rapeseed given as green-feed and urea and its derivatives may not form part of the basic ration or supplementary feed.

The following raw materials may not form part of supplementary feed:

— Palm, groundnut, sunflower and olive oils, as such or isomers thereof;

— Milk products and products derived thereof;

— Land animal products and products derived thereof:

— Fish, other aquatic animals and products derived thereof, with the exception of cod liver oil.

— Miscellaneous ingredients, with the exception of glucose molasses.

Milk from each collection used by the manufacturer to make ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ must come from herds where at least 30 % of the cows are dairy cows of the Normande breed, ‘collection’ being defined as the total amount of milk collected and used by a manufacturer within a 48-hour period.

Collection takes place a maximum of 48 hours after the first milking. The milk collected on the holdings is transported and unloaded at the site where the milk is skimmed without transhipment. Upon receipt, the acidity of the raw milk must be between 14 and 16° Dornic, i.e. a pH of between 6,6 and 6,85.

Cream used to make the butter must have a minimum fat content of 35 g per 100 g of product. Light cream, raw cream, sterilised cream and UHT cream may not be used to produce the butter.

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

The milk is produced and the butter made within the geographical area described in point 4.

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

Any freezing of the butter and packaging have to take place within the geographical area.

Packaging the butter is extremely important for ensuring the quality of the product, as butterfat is susceptible to oxidation. The product must therefore be packaged immediately after manufacture. The product is therefore packaged within the defined geographical area referred to under point 4 in sales units no larger than 25 kg.

The butter may be frozen or deep-frozen for a maximum of 12 months, on condition that it is packaged in units of between 1 and 25 kg. The product is frozen at most 10 days after manufacture in the case of textured butter, or at most 30 days after manufacture in the case of non-textured butter.

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

Each pack of PDO ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ cheese sold must bear an individual label that includes the name of the designation of origin written in letters at least two thirds the size of the largest characters on the label.

A logo bearing the words ‘Beurre d'Isigny — Appellation d'Origine Protégée’ must be affixed to or printed on the wrappers or containers; it is the operator's responsibility to ensure this is done.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area covers the territory of all the municipalities of the following departments:

In the Department of Calvados (82 municipalities):

All the municipalities in the canton of Bayeux with the exception of Chouain, Condé-sur-Seulles, Ellon, Esquay-sur-Seulles, Juaye-Mondaye, Le Manoir, Manvieux, Ryes, Tracy-sur-Mer, Vaux-sur-Seulles and Vienne-en-Bessin.

All the municipalities in the canton of Trévières with the exception of La Bazoque, Cahagnolles, Cormolain, Foulognes, Litteau, Planquery, Sainte-Honorine-de-Drucy and Sallen.

In the Department of La Manche (93 municipalities):

In the canton of Agon-Coutainville, the municipalities of Auxais, Feugères, Gonfreville, Gorges, Marchésieux, Nay, Périers, Raids, Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves, Saint-Martin-d'Aubigny and Saint-Sébastien-de-Raids.

In the canton of Bricquebec, the municipalities of Etienville, Les Moitiers-en-Bauptois and Orglandes.

All of the municipalities in the canton of Carentan-les-Marais.

In the canton of Créances, the municipalities of Montsenelle (solely the territories of the former municipalities of Coigny, Prétot-Sainte-Suzanne and Saint-Jores) and Le Plessis-Lastelle.

All the municipalities in the canton of Pont-Hébert, with the exception of Bérigny, Saint-André-de-l'Epine, Saint-Georges-d'Elle, Saint-Germain-d'Elle and Saint-Pierre-de-Semilly.

All the municipalities in the canton of Saint-Lô-1, with the exception of Agneaux, Le Lorey, Marigny-Le-Lozon (solely the territory of the former commune of Lozon), Le Mesnil-Amey, Saint-Gilles and Saint-Lô.

All the municipalities of the canton of Valognes, with the exception of Brix, Huberville, Lestre, Lieusaint, Montaigu-la-Brisette, Saint-Germain-de-Tournebut, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Martin-d'Audouville, Saussemesnil, Tamerville, Valognes, Vaudreville and Yvetot-Bocage.

5. Link with the geographical area

The geographical area of production of ‘Beurre d'Isigny’ is crescent-shaped, situated on sedimentary terrain and at a low altitude (< 50 m). This area, known as the Col du Cotentin, constitutes a remarkable geological area sculpted by multiple marine transgressions and regressions. Within that area, a distinction is made between the ‘Bas Pays’, consisting of large tidelands and alluvial marshes which, although drained, may flood, and, to the east, the ‘Haut Pays’, a landscape characterised by hedgerows, consisting of a plateau, limestone blocks and low clay and stony hills. The high quantities of marine alluvial deposits (coastal sediment deposited by the English Channel) and fluvial deposits, mainly confined to the Baie des Veys and its associated river valleys, constitute the key characteristics of the soil.

Receiving around 800 mm of precipitation and having more than 170 days of rainfall evenly spread throughout the year, as well as cool summer temperatures and mild winters and more restricted temperature ranges than Saint-Lô or Caen, the Col du Cotentin is referred to as having a temperate oceanic climate. Owing to the absence of hills, this humid, foggy and mild climate is homogeneous. The influence of the ocean can also be seen in the prevalence of spray coming off the sea and condensing on the pastures.

The Col du Cotentin is one of the areas of Normandy with a high concentration of pastureland that predates the trend of converting arable land to pasture, which started in 1800. Livestock farmers made the Isigny region a pastoral area of some prestige; in 1874, the Association Normande described it as possessing ‘rich pastures, veritable fountains of cream and butter’.

From the mid-19th century, Cotentin Peninsula livestock farmers began defending the purity of the Cotentine breed of cattle which, primarily because of its milk production capacity, ended up becoming the main source of the Normande breed. However, this status of ‘the origin of the breed’ penalises local breeders who have been slow to benefit from progress in artificial insemination and hence are reverting to using the productive and homogenous Prim'Holstein breed.

The population of the Col du Contentin quickly learnt to benefit from the dairy herd's optimal use of grass by making the most of the milk to make and sell butter.

Today, grazing once again forms the basis of the dairy cows' diet; they graze on grass for at least seven months and consume it as hay the rest of the year. The predilection of producers for the Normande breed, an excellent butter producer owing to its milk being rich in fats and proteins, has enabled it to survive in the geographical area and make up a significant proportion of the local herd.

The production technique depends on: ensuring the milk stays fresh by maintaining a cool temperature from the cowshed to the butter-making plant; the regularity of milk collections; natural maturation coupled with controlling the fermentation through pasteurisation; and then seeding the milk with lactic cultures; skimming and, finally, churning.

‘Beurre d'Isigny’ is smooth and easily spreadable. After texturing, it is firm and malleable, neither fatty nor sticky, and not friable. It has a homogenous ivory colour in winter and is buttercup yellow during the grazing season, and has aromas that are reminiscent of fresh cream. Its delicate flavour may also contain hints of hazelnuts.

The geographical location (proximity to the sea) and morphology (absence of hills) of the geographical area explains why rainfall is evenly spread throughout the year and temperatures are favourably mild even in winter. These elements are favourable to the growth of grass throughout the year and a long grazing period for the animals. The clay-limestone soil, derived from recent marine sediments and rich in minerals, produce an abundance of pasture, whereas the loamy soils surmounting the ‘Haut Pays’ are noteworthy for their regulation of the water content, which favours regular grass growth.

The quality of the fat content of the milk from the geographical area is produced by the combined effect of the cows being grass-fed, which gives the PDO product its specific organoleptic qualities and expected smoothness, and the supply of fodder with a higher energy value, which promotes the formation of large fat globules; these enable the fixation of the milk's aromatic compounds conferred by the grass.

‘Beurre d'Isigny’ is therefore characterised by an optimal use of the area's grassland, along with a long grazing period for the dairy herd, and the provision of preserved feed during the winter in conjunction with other types of feed. Transporting fodder from the ‘Bas-Pays’ to the ‘Haut-Pays’ and its preservation is a traditional practice locally, because the farms were generally located in the ‘Haut-Pays’, while also having pasture in the ‘Bas-Pays’.

It is the diet of the herds, which are partly composed of Normande cows, that results in high-quality milk with the high fat content that gives the product its superbly smooth texture.

In addition, the presence of carotenoids in the lush grass of the region's pastures is conducive to the butter having a natural buttercup yellow colour during the grazing season.

The continuation of traditional butter-making techniques, i.e. not adding flavouring or lactic acid and using naturally matured cream and churning, is the key to expressing the characteristics of the raw material produced by the dairy herds in the final product. The products' success can also be explained by the close commercial relations with a network of dairies across France, the restaurant trade in the region, and export markets.

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-ba1010a1-bc3a-4468-a1d2-7578d8fd5494