Pork pies set to join the upper crust?

The makers of Melton Mowbray pork pies are one step closer to gaining protected name status for their products, following a High Court ruling today.

The judgement upheld the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (Defra) decision to forward to the European Commission an application seeking protected food name status for the name "Melton Mowbray Pork Pie".

Food producer Northern Foods challenged Defra's decision, forcing a ruling in the High Court.

Lord Willy Bach, Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming, said: "I am delighted that the Court has confirmed that the Department's decision to forward this application was justified.

"The Government's policy is to encourage more UK producers to take advantage of the EU Protected Food Name Scheme.

"Protection provides a means for producers to add value and to meet consumers' growing demand for food with a clear regional provenance," he added.

The designation, if ratified by the EU, will mean that Melton Mowbray pork pies can only be produced in a 1,800 square mile area that includes the towns of Leicester, Nottingham and Northampton.

Defra first sent the application to the EU commission in May 2005. The commission will now examine the application to check that it qualifies for protection, with a decision expected by the end of 2006.

by James Garner

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