Thomastown cheesemakers say EU trade deal could be ‘catastrophic’

The Australian Dairy Industry says a “catastrophic” new free-trade agreement between the European Union and Australia could lead to popular cheeses vanishing from supermarkets.

Floridia Cheese fears they will not survive an “unreasonable” new EU trade proposal.

Cheesemakers and the Australian Dairy Industry say a new trade agreement with the EU could strip them of the right to use product names like ‘feta’.

A geographic indication (GI) system proposed in the agreement would limit producers from using product names identified as coming from a specific region where a particular quality is attributable to the area.

However, product names not originating from a region, including ‘halloumi’ and ‘pecorino’, are also on the list of GI demands from the EU under the draft trade proposal.

>> SEE THE PROPOSED LIST OF BANNED NAMES BELOW

Mauro Montalto, owner of Floridia Cheese in Thomastown, said GIs would force his Italian-style cheese business to completely change.

“If we were to lose that ability to use common names, I seriously doubt we would survive, and more than 60 years of family heritage and tradition would be lost,” he said.

Mr Montalto warned the rule would give an unfair advantage to Australian importers who could still bring in European brands using names consumers knew and liked.

Montefiore Cheese general manager Peter Ferrante said the business would not survive if the deal went ahead.

“We are only a small producer with 20 staff and we just can’t afford to rebrand entirely,” he said.

Dairy Australia international trade development manager Peter Myers said he had been in discussions with negotiators of the trade agreement and EU officials had indicated a GI system was “top of the list” of EU demands.

“They have said they won’t sign an agreement without GIs being included,” Mr Myers said.

The agreement would result in the destruction of countless small and medium Australian cheesemakers, he said.

MORE: THOMASTOWN CHEESE MAKER DOMINATING THE INDUSTRY

IS THIS MELBOURNE'S CHEESE MECCA?

RED TAPE FEAR FOR EU TRADE DEAL

“This is a serious, serious problem we have to deal with here,” he said.

He declined to discuss the possible financial implications of the move because negotiations were ongoing, however he said the cost to the industry would be “significant”.

“We (Dairy Australia) are very opposed to this system being forced on Australia.”

Whittlesea Council has also opposed the GI system, voting at a council meeting earlier this month to lobby relevant ministers to oppose the system and lobby the Federal Government.

Consortium for Common Food Names senior director Shawna Morris, based in Virginia, said it was “clear” the cheese names were part of Australia’s public domain.

“The rights of Australian retailers, producers and restaurants to source the products they need from a variety of suppliers … cannot be tossed aside to heed the EU’s unreasonable demands to gain an unfair leg up in the market,” she said.

Jobs, Innovation and Trade Minister Martin Pakula said he had raised the issue of GI indicators with the “commonwealth trade minister, the EU ambassador, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Austrade”.

An agreement is not expected to be signed before the end of the year.

Cheese names that would be banned include:

Parmesan

Pecorino

Mozzarella

Feta

Halloumi

Brie

Camembert

Gorgonzola