The Region rejects the new specifications for Pecorino Romano DOP, approved last December – amid controversy – by the protection consortium.

The Council has expressed "a contrary direction", as can be read in a note from Viale Trento. The decision "comes because of the failure to include the list of traditional native sheep breeds permitted for the production of milk intended for transformation into Pecorino Romano Dop". An omission that, according to the executive, "is not in line with regional policies for the sector and for the protection of traditional breeding systems, the environmental sustainability of livestock systems and the conservation of biodiversity".

A position that seems to be a response to the appeal launched by the shepherds without flags who, immediately after the approval of the changes to the specifications, had asked for the intervention of the president Alessandra Todde who, they said, «has the power of veto on what the president of the consortium is illegitimately carrying forward: the future of the most strategic sector of the regional economy is at stake».

But what is the problem? A clarification is necessary: it is called "Roman" but it is almost entirely Sardinian. And it is the pecorino that is exported all over the world, the one that largely determines the price of milk on the Island. It is a Dop product (Protected Designation of Origin) and its production must take place in compliance with certain requirements: those set out in the specifications. On which a vote had already been taken a few years ago, when the requirement that the sheep to be milked belong to certain "native" breeds was imposed.

With the new vote of December 2nd, in Macomer, the “breed” had been left out and to produce pecorino romano it was sufficient that the sheep were raised in certain “areas”. Sardinia is included, obviously. The concern of the shepherds who signed the document is one: someone (many?) could “import” sheep from other territories, make them live in Sardinia, raise them intensively to increase milk production – taking advantage of the fact that the price is now high – and what would be lost, is the fear, would be the characteristics of the product. In addition to the added value, with a consequent collapse in price due to the increase in production.

The shepherds (Gianuario Falchi, Nenneddu Sanna, Mario Carai and Fabio Pisu) had warned that «revoting on the point regarding the use of milk to produce Pecorino Romano Dop cheese from sheep belonging to the native breeds of the production areas (Sardinia, Lazio and the province of Grossetto) would have been against the rules, as that point had already been voted on and approved in a previous assembly of the consortium with a majority of 90% and had been endorsed by the then Agriculture Councillor first and then by the ministry». From Rome they had «even suggested a 7-year delay, following the advice of Agris technicians, to give time to companies that currently breed exogenous breeds or their crosses, in case they wanted to continue to be part of the Dop, before the restrictions were put in place».

The Consortium had decided to go straight ahead. Now the Region has rejected it.

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