Several applications from food producers hoping to protect their products under the EU Protected Food Name (PFN) scheme are nearing completion, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

A bid from Staffordshire cheese producers for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status is nearing completion and could be registered within a few months if no objections have been lodged with the European Commission (EC).

A PDO application from Isle of Man Manx Loaghtan Lamb is at the same stage in the process, while an application from producers of traditional Fine-Grained Red Poll Beef is with the EC for assessment before being published for objections.

Meanwhile, said DEFRA, the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Protected Geographical Indication Status (PGI) application was “progressing well” and was waiting to be published by the EC for objections.

Other PGI applications progressing through the system included one for Cornish Sardines, which would be submitted to the Commission for assessment once the UK consultation closed on January 10.

However, this could take up to two years, said Simon Johnson at DEFRA, partly because of the length of the process and partly due to a “backlog of applications”

A bid from the Cornish Pasty Association was still with DEFRA for assessment.

Full details of all applications currently with DEFRA under the PFN scheme can be found at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/foodname/pfn/approc/pdf/pending.pdf