The EU Mountain Product Voluntary Quality Term as a Valorization Tool for Livestock Farms: Challenges and Opportunities in an Alpine Context

Abstract

European mountain areas have experienced a persistent loss of agricultural land and economic activities over time, with negative effects from both an environmental and a cultural perspective. In 2012, the European Union devised the mountain product (MP) quality term to provide to mountain producers a tool to better market their products and thus increase their income. In this article, we tried to understand what the current challenges and opportunities are concerning this quality term, focusing on meat products in the Italian Alpine context. To this end, interviews were conducted with producers who are allowed to use the term on meat in this area and with regional persons in charge of the food quality policy. The SWOT analysis performed on the results of these interviews highlights that the lack of stringent requirements and simple bureaucratic procedures are the main strengths of this tool, while the interest of consumers in mountain products is a factor that can stimulate the spread of its use. However, four crucial needs should be addressed, namely increasing consumers’ awareness of MP, providing information on MP to producers, increasing the protection of the term and developing a more collaborative approach among producers.

Consumers’ Purchasing Determinants Towards Mountain Food Products

“…This therefore confirms the presence of the phenomenon of information asymmetry, which can affect not only milk but also its derivatives. This lack of awareness is not only typical of consumers [22], but it is present at the same time among producers and retailers [59][60][61]. Suffice to say that eight years after the introduction of the MPL in the EU, only a thousand farms have adopted it in Italy [23]; so, the label is still not very widespread.…”

“…In this context, there are still few studies analysing the consumer perspective of mountain food products [21] and the consumer acceptability of the MPL [22]. In order to fill this gap, this paper aimed to verify consumer attitudes toward mountain products, analyse the degree of appreciation for the MPL and define consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for a typical labelled mountain product.…”

Rural Tourism in Mountain Rural Comunities-Possible Direction/Strategies: Case Study Mountain Area from Bihor County

“…Through research on mountain areas conducted over time and by combining the information obtained from other studies [31][32][33][34][35], certain features that underline their importance have been identified: 18% of all European agricultural holdings are found in the mountain areas, and of the total cultivated agricultural area in Europe, approximately 15% is found in the mountain areas; 15% of the agricultural workforce in Europe is registered in mountain areas; 29% of dairy cows, 32% of sheep, and 67% of goats are raised for products in mountain areas; labor productivity is, on average, 28% lower in mountainous areas compared to less favored areas and 40% lower compared to lowlands; obtaining agricultural production in mountain areas is challenging to the landscape, but this feature is valuable for tourism activities, whose success depend on the involvement of the local community [36,37].…”

Growth Performance, Carcass and Meat Traits of Autochthonous Arouquesa Weaners Raised on Traditional and Improved Feeding Systems

“…To change the future of traditional mountain systems, increase the sustainability, and add value to the local products, it is important to adapt new strategies and practices [ 8 ]. In Portugal, and over the last three decades, there has been a growing interest in traditional beef production systems.…”