A delegation of farmers and food processing representatives has travelled to Wales to see for themselves how beef and lamb produced the Welsh Way has garnered an enviable international reputation for farm-to-fork traceability.
The group, from Estonia on the shores of the Baltic Sea, toured the north of Wales visiting farms and retailers, and received a presentation on the value of the Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) accreditation enjoyed by Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).
The PGI system has been in place in Wales since 2002, for beef, and 2003, for lamb. Originally awarded by the European Union and now recognised in both the EU and UK, the designation recognises the unique characteristics of beef and lamb produced in Wales, and the full traceability of the meat at each stage of processing.
HCC is the statutory guardian of the PGI status for Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef. As well as a thorough audit trail, the traceability of the food is further protected by world leading science, which means that product can be sampled and tested at any point in the supply chain, to ensure it complies with a distinctive Welsh ‘fingerprint’ of origin.
The traceability credentials of Welsh meat have been central to marketing efforts over the past 20 years.
During the course of their fact-finding tour, the Estonian delegation visited Rhug Estate in Denbighshire, as well as Ty’n Llwyfan near Conwy, home of TV presenter and farmer Gareth Wyn Jones.
HCC’s Market Development Manager, Rhys Llywelyn, said,
“It was great to meet the farmers and processors from Estonia on their tour of Wales. They clearly want to learn about what makes Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef special, how they’re protected with the PGI system, and how the brands have been built over the years and more recently through innovative social media marketing.
“The investment that the Welsh red meat sector has made in world-leading traceability has been vital. It’s been the cornerstone of the excellent reputation that we enjoy around the world, and I’m gratified that other countries are keen to learn and apply the lessons to their own production.”
Gareth Wyn Jones said,
“Thanks to our farm to fork traceability customers around the world know that if it’s Welsh Lamb or Welsh Beef they want, that’s what they’ll get. It’s great that other countries want to know more, and I was pleased to offer our Estonian friends the full immersive tour at Ty’n Llwyfan.
“We were able to show them at first-hand how sheep and cattle are reared in Wales, with high standards of sustainability and welfare, and of course invite them back to the farmhouse to sample some Welsh Lamb!”
Annely Holm from the producers group said,
“We really enjoyed the trip and the discussions, and of course the visit to Gareth’s farm and sampling the wonderful Welsh Lamb. We have been very impressed by the marketing work done by HCC, especially the use of social media to target customers. We want to emulate the results and the best way to learn is to visit to understand the wider industry and get guidance on the best strategy for our use.”
