Westcountry beef and lamb have joined the ranks of some of the UK's most famous foods by securing Protected Geographical Indication status.
The latest EU protections bring the UK total to more than 60, including Cornish clotted cream, Whitstable oysters and Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese.
Anglesey sea salt was also granted a PDO - a similar EU safeguard.
Protected food products in the UK contribute an estimated £900 million to the European economy, and the government is keen to encourage more applications.
- Stock must be born, raised and finished in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Dorset or Wiltshire.
- Stock must have been fed at least a 70% forage-based diet.
Farming minister George Eustice said: “Exceeding the 60th registration is an achievement to be proud of. Legal protection of the quality, provenance and reputation of British food will help small businesses make a valuable economic contribution both locally and nationally.
“We now want to help many more UK food producers who are thinking about making an application for protected name status to get their quality produce fully recognised.”
The awards follow a five-month EU-wide consultation process
The “protected geographical indication” (PGI) status awarded to West Country beef and West Country lamb means the meat has to come from stock born, raised and finished in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Dorset or Wiltshire and fed at least a 70% forage-based diet.
Peter Baber, chairman of Meat South West, said he “looked forward to working with farmers and processors in the south west region to market top quality beef and lamb under the West Country PGI banner”.
Nick Allen, sector director for EBLEX, said: “EBLEX has put a lot of time and expertise into supporting this PGI application so we are delighted by this news. It’s now up to the processors and the meat trade to embrace the West Country PGI to fulfil its marketing potential.”