The document was signed by four unconventional shepherds (Gianuario Falchi, Nenneddu Sanna, Mario Carai, and Fabio Pisu) , but the document sent to Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida appears to reflect the sentiments of many Sardinian farmers, concerned about changes to the production regulations for Pecorino Romano (the main processed product of Sardinian milk, which also determines its price). They fear that the Sardinian production model—which guaranteed the PDO label—will be swept away by the introduction, through the modification to the regulations requested by the Protection Consortium, of intensive farming of "foreign" and non-native sheep. "The current climate," the shepherds informed the minister, is similar to that of 2019, when the milk war erupted.
Here is the letter sent to Lollobrigida.
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«Dear Minister,
Sardinian shepherds wish to draw your attention to the amendment to the production specifications for Pecorino Romano PDO, published in the Official Journal on October 25, which does not include positive breeds, i.e., native sheep breeds traditionally raised in the production areas of Sardinia, Lazio, and the province of Grosseto.
We have no objections to the changes to the other articles; however, the failure to include native breeds is not a technical matter, but rather a profoundly political choice, the effects of which directly impact the survival of our productive and social model.
At a time in history when young people are abandoning the countryside and small inland towns, worsening already critical depopulation phenomena, this decision appears to be a further sign of inattention towards rural communities that have been the guardians of territories, traditions and biodiversity for centuries.
This approach risks primarily benefiting large processing companies, interested in developing intensive livestock farms and "enormous stables" based on foreign breeds such as the from that of native breeds. This trend qualities that have allowed our product to become the most important aged sheep's cheese in the world.
