Green light for the export of low-cured cured meats to the United States, and in particular PGI finocchiona, the queen of Tuscan cured meats and protagonist of the tables of our region. With an official note, the US federal offices declared Tuscany a territory free from swine vesicular disease.
The process for recognition, which began years ago, became executive at the end of August 2023, with the publication by the American authorities of the decree in the Federal Register and, after the canonical period of six months, it was now able to lead to the official OK awaited, which opens the US markets (and all countries that adopt the same American standard) of reference to Tuscan products, which have always been highly appreciated in the United States.
“Excellent news – said president Eugenio Giani – that we have all been waiting for for a long time, a goal that has been achieved thanks to teamwork between institutions and producers, which reopens the market which has always been very attentive to the flavors and typical features of Tuscany. A cured meat like finocchiona, which tells so much about the Tuscan gastronomic tradition, cannot be missing from overseas tables.”
The vice-president and councilor for agriculture was also satisfied, declaring that after years of work between the Region and protection consortia, in particular Finocchiona PGI, Lardo di Colonnata PGI and Cinta Senese PDO, which involved regional agricultural technicians and veterinary healthcare and has involved constant contacts with US federal offices, today our products, but in particular the Finocchiona PGI, which tells so much about the Tuscan gastronomic tradition, will finally be able to receive the recognition they deserve also in the US markets.
For his part, the regional health councilor comments, saying he is happy with the result, for the value of the product and the importance of the market to which he will now finally be able to turn, in full compliance with the regulations, with the guarantee of quality and safety also from a health point of view, an element that further enhances the teamwork that led Tuscany to this great, long-awaited victory. For this reason, the councilor for the right to health thanked the group of regional veterinarians and local health authorities that deal with exports, whose professionalism and experience were decisive in achieving this result.
Finocchiona PGI represents one of the excellences that can be produced exclusively in Tuscany, certified with the quality mark of Protected Geographical Indication and produced following the production regulations. For Finocchiona PGI, a first estimate relating to future exports to the USA is around 250,000 kilos per year, which would represent around 13.5% of certified production. Important numbers, which would make the Stars and Stripes nation leap onto the podium of the markets for exports of the typical Tuscan cured meat. In 2022, Italy confirmed itself as the first market to which 79% of certified production was allocated, followed by Germany with 11%.
