# Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 584/2013 of 18 June 2013 approving a minor amendment to the specification for a name entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications (Melton Mowbray Pork Pie (PGI)), Division 5.3: Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

From the 16th century onwards considerable land enclosure took place around the town of Melton Mowbray. These land clearances removed the open fields from the landscape and the enclosed hedge fields so indicative of East Midland farmland were developed. As a result the principal farming activity changed from raising sheep on the open fields to controlled cattle husbandry. The surplus milk from the cows was converted to cheese particularly Blue Stilton. A by-product of cheese production is whey. Whey when mixed with bran is an excellent pig food. Dairy farmers built pigsties and raised the farm animals to eat the surplus that accrued because of their cheese production activities.
In more recent times, Melton Mowbray Pork Pies have attracted attention from various areas. The international travel guide book ‘Lonely Planet’ makes reference to the town of Melton Mowbray by describing it as the town ‘which gave the world the best pork pies under the sun’. The product’s renewed popularity was demonstrated in 1996 when the Duke of Gloucester attracted some publicity during a visit to a producers shop and was captured in a newspaper article sampling Melton Mowbray pork pies. The BBC also ran a feature on Melton Mowbray pork pies as part of their popular prime time ‘Food and Drink’ television programme.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2013/584/annex/II/division/SINGLE/division/5/division/5.3 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2013-584/annex-II/division-SINGLE/division-5/division-5.3
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.