IGP and Label Rouge, requirements combined by breeders for decades

Since the registration of the IGP in 1997, the entire production of "Porc de la Sarthe" also benefits from the Label Rouge without this association, desired by breeders, of two official quality signs having been formally validated by the public authorities. This has now been achieved, with the publication in the Journal officiel de la République Française on December 2, 2020 of the decree associating Label Rouge n° LA 05/89 "Viandes, abats et préparations dérivées de viande, frais ou surgelés, de porc fermier" with the protected geographical indication "Porc de la Sarthe". The products concerned will therefore be able to bear both labels: a double guarantee of a link to the terroir and superior quality for consumers.

High-quality pork produced in a defined area

The specifications for the "Porc de la Sarthe" PGI stipulate that pigs are fattened and slaughtered in the Sarthe department and neighbouring cantons. Production of Label Rouge n° LA 05/89 is therefore restricted to this geographical area.

The pigs are free-range, bred in the open air, and housed on straw. Each animal has access to a run of at least 83 m2 for the rest of its life. The feed contains a minimum of 20% barley, which contributes to the quality of the meat, which remains firm when cooked and has a uniform, intense color. Its fat contributes to the meat's flavor and, after cooking, gives it an intense aroma.