EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness called today for more traditional Irish food and drink producers to consider applying for the EU quality mark known as "geographical indication".
Over 3,600 producers across Europe have the EU quality mark but only 13 of them are Irish.
These include Irish Grass Fed Beef, Achill Island Sea Salt, Oriel Sea Salt, the Waterford Blaa, Connemara Hill Lamb, Sneem Black Pudding, Imokilly Regato, Irish Poitín, Irish Whiskey and Irish Cream.
The EU's Geographical Indications scheme was set up to distinguish and publicise traditional products. They guarantee that an EU product is authentic, not an imitation or counterfeit, and serve to reinforce its national and international recognition.
Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships in Co Laois, Mairead McGuinness said that in a globalised world with more and more standardised food, cheese, meat, wine or whisky, consumers want to know how a product has been made and where it comes from.
"A name that is recognised with a EU quality mark tells a story of history and heritage and provides consumers with a guarantee of the authenticity of a product," she stated.
"I believe that there are more interesting Irish agricultural products and spirit drinks out there that could benefit from registration with this EU quality mark," she said.
"I'd like to encourage Irish producers to be part of this success story by reflecting on the place of origin of Irish products, rediscovering what is special about them and valuing this. It could make a major contribution to the safeguarding of our Irish and European farming and culinary heritage now and for the future," she added.
