Before the European Economic Community was even born, some of its future members had already reached an agreement-in the 1951 Stresa Convention-on the recognition of designations and designations of origin for their most distinctive cheeses. European PDOs and PGIs followed, where the Italian dairy sector plays a primary role. (1-2-3)
The excellence of the Bel Paese is rooted in age-old traditions and solid legislation, of which the 1974 National Act is a prime example. Milk is processed from its natural form, which is liquid, without introducing activity steps unrelated to the characteristic process, such as evaporation and subsequent dilution of powders.
The European Commission, after 41 years of consistent application (!), ‘discovers that the Italian legislation is more stringent than the common law, and suddenly demands its amendment. Not even Kafka’s imagination could have reached such a height!
Who is behind it, how come just now? The first suspicion of many is the acceleration of negotiations on the obscure TTIP. But perhaps more likely, the enemies are at home. And these are those multinationals that have already succeeded in getting rid of the mandatory location of the factory on the label, for the specific purpose of relocating Italian production without informing consumers. (4)
Why claim to use powdered milk? To cut costs by buying powder where and when it is cheapest. Speculating on the volatilities of international stock markets, perhaps even playing with ‘futures’. A logic, if you can call it that, mercantile and financial.
But if only these gentlemen would lift their gaze from ‘little accountants’ to a broader perspective, they would realize that in doing so they are burning the true Italian Value and cracking the collective trust in an integrated ‘ from stable to table ‘ supply chain. As well as undermining strategic resources for the country, such as cattle farms and dairy farms.
Not to mention the unnecessary aggravation of the environmental impact of the products, caused by the forced evaporation and who knows where, of tens and hundreds of thousands of tons of liquids, and the transport – by sea and road – of the resulting dust.
How it will turn out is easy to predict, the market dominates every rule and takes everything, like the ‘ croupier ‘ at the ‘casino’. After all, one cannot expect much from a government that is not even capable of sharing with Europe the ongoing migration problems and related tragedies.
We will still resist, always and in any case! Information and culture, petitions, education for responsible consumption. The GIFT model, indeed!
(Dario Dongo)
Notes:
(1) https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/formaggio/parmigiano-italiano/parmigiano-reggiano
(2) https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/formaggio/grana-padano-formaggio
(3) https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/formaggio/formaggi-italiani/gorgonzola-formaggio
(4) https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/etichette-alimentari/etichette-trasparenti