Iñaki places his products on a table at the market not knowing that with this gesture he is representing a breath of fresh air, compared to other productive models, like the industrial one.

The Nobel prize for Agroecology, Mr. Henk Hobbeling, has it clear: “small farmers will refresh the planet”. In an interview with “La vanguardia”, the Dutch Agronomist confirms that 30% of the fertile land of the world which belongs to small farmers, produce 65% of the food. The founder of Grain, a NGO dedicated to  food sovereignty and agroecology believes that we need government help for small farmers so they don’t have to leave the countryside.

With reference again to the previous farmer from Orio, Iñaki, who used to work in a farmer’s union before dedicating his life to the farm life, he is aware that living from an orchard is difficult but at the same time advantageous. Especially for reconciling family life and be in contact with nature.

Iñaki knows that depending on the type of product, direct selling is more difficult. For example “eggs”.  He knows that it is necessary comply with hygiene rules and food safety, but he believes that some of these rules are more favorable for industrial producers. “We cannot apply the same rules for the production of 20.000 eggs as for 200 eggs”. But, the Sanitary Authorities care about the traceability of the product and must detect any possible irregularity along the food chain.

Biolur is the association for the support of the ecological agriculture in Gipuzkoa. It has created consumption groups in order to create a direct relationship between farmers and consumers.

Direct selling of ecological products it is not only a healthier and more sustainable  philosophy of life, but also an alternative way of eating where the consumer values the quality of the product, and its origin, more than its price; and they don’t always have to be the most expensive!

The “Appellation of Origin” of the Idiazabal cheese supports this idea. Others, however, forget about the importance of the breed and favour productivity. There are more than 100 cheese farmers, members of the Idiazabal A.O. that have their own flock of sheep and they produce cheese with latxa milk. There are other cheese makers that buy the milk of the latxa sheep to make the cheese from, and finally there are some others, about two or three big companies, that buy the milk to produce the cheese in an industrial, rather than artisanal, way. If these big companies meet the requirements for the production of the cheese, their cheese is also certified as from Idiazabal. But there is unfair competition, generated by the industry and sometimes with the support of the small producers, who feel pressured by the market situation and the law of supply and demand. The companies involved push to obtain lower prices, generating more demand for this type of cheese, from limited production.

In 2007, a fraud was revealed when the A.O. detected that there was a cheese farm that used to make the cheese with milk from outside the Basque Country and from other sheep breeds. By using non latxa milk they could double the production of the Idiazabal cheese and meet the high levels demand. However, this is not the norm, the strict controls and inspections of the Idiazabal A.O. try to keep these kinds of fraudulent actions at bay.

Currently confusion reigns on the shelves of large supermarket chains. The industrial farms that elaborate the idiazabal cheese on a larger scale have created a parallel brand: “Etxegarai”. This is a copy of Idiazabal cheese, but made with cheaper sheep’s milk from other breeds. It is cheaper, but its marketing and branding are identical to Idiazabal cheese. The A.O., is very careful and supervise that this type of cheese it is not sold as an Idiazabal cheese. To produce Idiazabal cheese only milk from the latxa and carranzana sheeps can be used, however big cheese companies make other cheeses, similar to the Idiazabal, and they are within their right to do so. These cheeses are made the same way as the Idiazabal cheese and it is very difficult to appreciate the difference between them or to determine the type of sheep breed has produced the milk. These cheeses are quality cheeses but without the added value that comes with supporting the families that work to maintain the latxa race. The A.O. doesn’t just support the latxa breed but also the land management and exploitation of local territory. This is an age old battle, but currently, all eyes are looking at the supermarkets and how to avoid confusion in the consumer on the shelves.