Promotion of Haymilk TSG and cheese made from Haymilk TSG in Germany

Haymilk farming is the original form of milk production in the alpine region. The milk comes from animals reared in traditional dairy farming. The main difference to other types of milk is that fermented feed (silage) is strictly forbidden. During production, haymilk farmers and processors adhere to the strict haymilk regulations. Compliance with it´s requirements is monitored by independent, state-certified inspection bodies. Aside from feeding methods, the haymilk regulations also define fertilisation requirements and extensive animal welfare conditions. They form the basis for the EU quality label TSG - tradtional speciality guaranteed - which hay milk holds since 2016.

Location-adapted milk production using locally available resources, conservation of soil and water are requirements for haymilk farmers. The agricultural system produces high-quality food from permanent grassland. The agricultural practice of haymilk farming preserves the biodiversity because of a mosaic-like grassland use. Plants can reproduce themselves because of later mowing times and insects and small animals have refuge areas. The grassland soil stores large amounts of carbon, which cannot escape into the atmosphere, where it would become climate relavant.

Furthermore the feeding methods of hay farming have considerable benefits for cheese production, as the content of butyric acid bacilli is very low, which is important for the production. Long ripened cheese varieties can only from haymilk be produced without adding preservatives.

Germany is the most important sales market for haymilk TSG. Therefore the project proposed aims to significantly increase the awareness of the EU quality scheme TSG and of the production method of haymilk on the German market.
The consortium consists of ARGE Heumilch Österreich and ARGE Heumilch Deutschland, independant organisations which unite the majority of haymilk farmers and processors in their countries.