The queen could remove the royal order from her favorite cheddar cheese after its producer filled a river with harmful black sludge, the Guardian has learned.
Sources at Buckingham Palace said the Davidstow cheddar order, issued by Dairy Crest, could be revoked for environmental reasons after being fined £ 1.5 million by the Environment Agency.
They said the orders were being reviewed and the Queen’s cheese makers had to comply with environmental standards. People familiar with the palace added that they can be canceled at any time.
These grants are given by the Queen and Prince Charles to their preferred suppliers, who are then entitled to display the royal coat of arms on their products. This shows that the products of the companies are enjoyed by royalty and are used as a mark of quality. Currently, 800 companies own the order, including Bollinger champagne, Waitrose supermarket and Fortnum and Mason.
This move would probably be painful for the queen, as it is understood that Davidstowe is her favorite cheddar. It is produced by Dairy Crest, which also produces Cathedral City cheese and Country Life butter.
Dairy Crest, now owned by the Canadian company Saputo, was found to have dumped liquid waste, suspended solids and “biological sludge” into the Ini River in Cornwall for several years, raising nutrient levels and killing trout and salmon. Partially treated wastewater also flowed to nearby lands.
In one incident, treated wastewater from the cream was released into Inny, containing a biocide that killed hundreds of fish. Locals said the dairy had left “egg peace” in the area.
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For some time, the palace has been negotiating with the creamers for the pollution of the river. A spokesman said: “Dairy Crest informed us about this problem some time ago and informed us of their actions in response.”
Campaigners welcomed the potential move, but also called on the Queen and Prince Charles to reconsider royal orders from other intensive meat and dairy producers. Currently, many meat and cheese producers have an order.
Rob Percival, head of food policy at the Soil Association, said: “This case is emblematic of a national problem. Only 16% of inland freshwater bodies in England are close to their natural state and partly due to intensive livestock operations, which provide much of our meat and dairy products.
“These systems tend to create much more manure and manure than can be safely recycled back into the soil, and inadequate fertilizer storage, combined with excessive nutrient application, often leads to river pollution, damaging fish and aquatic life. .
“Intensive livestock farming is making a royal mess in our rivers – it is understandable that the Queen is considering removing her insignia from the responsible companies.”
Dairy Crest declined to comment on the potential abolition of her royal decree, but cited a statement in which she offered a “sincere apology” to those affected and said she had done work to fix the factory’s problems.
“Once again, the company would like to express its sincere apologies to those affected. Significant work has been done to correct the historical problems of the prosecution, “the statement said. “The company continues to invest significant resources in the best technologies, processes and people to further improve its environmental performance and minimize its impact on the local community.”
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