LOCAL EURO MP SUPPORTS WENSLEYDALE CHEESE BID

12.48.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 14th Aug 2006

Diana Wallis MEP supports Creamery plans to protect Wensleydale cheese

Euro MP Diana Wallis has pledged her support for Wensleydale Dairy Products, which, it has been widely reported, is seeking to protect Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese from imposters.

Writing in today's Yorkshire Post, the Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "More and more producers in Yorkshire and UK need to consider protecting their livelihoods by following Wensleydale's example.

"We are missing the boat here and it is time for more companies to get registered and to do what other companies in the UK and the rest of Europe are doing. I am sure there is a long list of unique local food producers. Maybe there is a case for Yorkshire Rhubarb or the Barnsley Chop to get the same EU wide protection."

Wensleydale has made a submission for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which aims to promote and protect food products in the EU and is used to describe foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.

This means that any manufacturers outside of Wensleydale cannot produce a cheese and call it Real Yorkshire Wensleydale.

Diana Wallis MEP says in today's Yorkshire Post that Yorkshire & the Humber has a poor record in the UK when it comes to protecting its regional foods with only one company (a cheese company in Richmond) enjoying PDO status.

"In general though the UK as a whole is doing poorly compared to other European countries. My research show that there is a total of just 29 protected names in the UK as a whole. This compares to Italy with 154 and France with 145. Now, surely, is the time to get our act together rather than to stand complaining on the sidelines."