Associació de Pastors i Pastores Formatgers dels Països Catalans

The Associació de Pastors i Pastores Formatgers dels Països Catalans (Association of Shepherd Cheesemakers of the Catalan Countries) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2021 that brings together small-scale cheesemakers who produce cheese exclusively from the milk of their own grazing herds. It was publicly presented on 19 September 2021 at the Santa Tecla fair in Berga, and its first president was Josep Venturós, a farmer, shepherd and cheesemaker from La Nou de Berguedà. The association advocates for 'formatge de pastor' — shepherd's cheese — and seeks official recognition of a seal or label from public authorities. Its members work with sheep's, goat's and (as a minority) cow's milk, and must comply with rules on maximum herd size and minimum daily grazing hours. The association's seal is a label reading 'formatge de pastor' or 'formatge de pastora', accompanied by an image of a cheese and a shepherd's crook (ganxo or tirapeu), a characteristic tool of the pastoral world. In 2022 the entity took part in a technical session at the Fira de Sant Ermengol. The association operates across the Països Catalans, the Catalan-speaking territories, and its website is formatgedepastor.cat.

The Associació de Pastors i Pastores Formatgers dels Països Catalans was founded in 2021 as a non-profit association. It brings together cheesemaking farms that produce cheese exclusively from the milk of their own grazing herds, thereby defending the figure of the shepherd-cheesemaker and the traditional 'formatge de pastor'. The association was presented to the public on 19 September 2021 at the Santa Tecla fair in Berga. From its beginnings it was presided over by Josep Venturós, a farmer, shepherd and cheesemaker originally from La Nou de Berguedà. One of its stated objectives was to obtain a seal recognised by the public administration. In 2022 the entity participated in a technical session at the Fira de Sant Ermengol. Membership is open to producers working with sheep's milk, goat's milk and, as a minority option, cow's milk, provided that the cheese is made exclusively from the milk of the member's own herd. The association regulates the maximum number of animals and a minimum number of daily grazing hours. Its seal is a label bearing the title 'formatge de pastor' or 'formatge de pastora', together with an image of a cheese and a ganxo or tirapeu, one of the characteristic elements of the pastoral world.

• Association founded as a non-profit entity.

• Public presentation at the Santa Tecla fair in Berga.

• Participation in a technical session at the Fira de Sant Ermengol.

Non-profit collective brand and certification mark for authentic shepherd's cheese made exclusively from the maker's own herd's milk, with strict grazing and herd-size requirements.

• Formatge de pastor certification seal

  A label reading 'formatge de pastor' or 'formatge de pastora', with an image of a cheese and a ganxo or tirapeu, used by member cheesemakers.

1. 1Associació de Pastors i Pastores Formatgers dels Països Catalansca.wikipedia.org
2. 2Associació de Pastors i Pastores Formatgers dels Països Catalanswikidata.org
3. 3Official websiteformatgedepastor.cat