Woolly EU name change hits crofters

THE Government is stepping in to sort out a bureaucratic blunder that bans 99 per cent of Shetland sheep farmers and crofters from using the term “Native Shetland Wool”.

Two weeks ago, the European Commission granted exclusive use of the term to the crofting co-operative ShetlandOrganics, which has just six members.

The decision set off alarm bells among some of their 900 or so fellow crofters, who contacted local MP Alistair Carmichael with their fears that they will be barred from claiming their produce hails from the isles.

Six years ago ShetlandOrganics applied to Europe for a PDO using the term “Organic Native Shetland Wool”. But EC lawyers dropped the word “organic” without consulting the crofters.

Ronnie Eunson, of ShetlandOrganics, said: “Shetland wool used to have fantastic value. We applied to use the term ‘Organic Native Shetland Wool’ to identify it as being organic and coming from Shetland, and we don’t understand why the change had to be made.”

Mr Carmichael has now invited an official from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to Shetland and resolve the issue by amending the protected designation of origin (PDO) accreditation.