Baden-Württemberg quality mark
The Baden-Württemberg quality mark is a regional quality mark carried by the state of Baden-Württemberg . It is registered with the German Patent and Trademark Office under the registration number 30400461 as a word and figurative mark.
The mark is awarded on the basis of a contractually stipulated license system and stands for agricultural products and foodstuffs that are produced in Baden-Württemberg or made from Baden-Württemberg ingredients and that meet special requirements in terms of quality or the production process.
Basics and objectives
On the basis of Section 20 (3) of the Agricultural and Regional Culture Act (LLG) of March 14, 1972, the state has a mandate to promote the sale of domestic agricultural products. The quality mark takes this into account by setting up targeted support measures
- Building and implementing community advertising
- Measures to develop and maintain markets for agricultural and food products
Small-scale agriculture, the food trade and the medium-sized food industry are to be strengthened, maintained and further developed through an improved market position.
The quality mark as a funding instrument is in accordance with European law and was notified again in a letter from the European Commission (COM) dated June 1, 2016. The basis of the notification is the fact that the labeled products from Baden-Württemberg differ from similar products not only in terms of their origin, but also in particular in terms of their process and product quality that is above the legal standard.
Structure and accountability
The bearer of the symbol is the state of Baden-Württemberg, represented by the Ministry for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection. Licensees are associations, professional organizations or associations in the agricultural and food industry. As of April 14, 2014 there were 24 licensees.
The users of the mark are commercial enterprises and companies that mark and market products with the mark. Producers are farms that produce raw products for marketing under the logo, e.g. B. Fruit and vegetable growers, grain producers, pig fattening companies.
All participants in the quality mark are linked to one another via contractual agreements. The contracts regulate the respective rights and obligations as well as possible sanctions in the event of violations.
Control system
All contractual agreements are under control. The controls are mainly carried out on three different levels:
Self-checks
Producers and users of the label are obliged to check their operations themselves using prescribed self-control checklists in order to systematically identify possible weak points in the operational process. The checklists contain all control content that is necessary to meet the essential requirements. The results of the self-checks are documented.
Neutral controls (third-party audits)
These controls are carried out by neutral control bodies. These testing institutes have to regularly prove their neutrality and their competence within the framework of an accreditation with the German Accreditation Service (DAkkS), Berlin.
Control monitoring (meta control)
The sign bearer or the bodies commissioned by it monitor and verify that all prescribed control measures are implemented completely and properly.
In addition, residue tests must be carried out to a specified extent, e.g. B. for pesticides and environmental pollutants, as well as quality checks on processed products.
conditions
The principles of animal and environmentally friendly production are binding for agricultural producers. For this reason z. B. Regular, contractually agreed herd care by specialist veterinarians is mandatory for pet owners. The cultivation of vegetable products takes place on the basis of integrated and controlled production . The requirements are comprehensively described in basic and additional requirements documents for each product area. The current version of these is available to everyone for viewing and downloading.
The requirements will be further developed as required. In the respective product-specific advisory boards, the relevant groups and interest groups from agriculture and food production, trade, specialist departments and consumers are included in the further development. In this respect, the quality mark corresponds to the EU guidelines on good practice for voluntary certification systems for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Web links
- State of Baden-Württemberg
- Extract from the trademark register at the German Patent and Trademark Office
- Community marketing in Baden-Württemberg
swell
- ↑ Law Gazette for Baden-Württemberg (Gazette) 1972, p. 74
- ↑ Notification letter from COM dated June 1, 2016 C (2016) 3191 final (Aid No. SA.43584 (2016 / N))
- ↑ a b Program provisions of the Baden-Württemberg quality mark
- ^ Licensee in the Baden-Württemberg quality mark
- ^ Documents on the Baden-Württemberg quality mark
- ^ Official Journal of the European Union of December 16, 2010; Communication from the Commission - EU guidelines on good practice for voluntary certification schemes for agricultural products and food (2010 / C 341/04)