France Eases Cheese Standards Amid Drought
· AA Tarım & Ekonomi
Record temperatures and a resulting fodder crisis in France have led to temporary flexibility in the production requirements for traditional, geographically indicated cheeses.
Norms Relaxed in Cheese Production
Record temperatures and severe drought in France have led to a relaxation of traditional cheese production standards, triggering a fodder crisis in the livestock sector. According to decisions published in the Official Journal of France, production rules for geographically indicated cheeses such as Abondance, Beaufort, and Comte, which are protected by strict regulations, have been temporarily eased. As stated by French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard on Franceinfo on August 18, extreme heat and fires have plunged the agricultural sector into a deep crisis, with farmers paying a heavy price.
New Conditions Due to Drought
Under the regulation published in the Official Journal, the requirement for meadow grass in the feed for Abondance cheese has been reduced from 50% to 15%. Producers are permitted to source half of their fodder from outside the region until May 31, 2027. For Beaufort, the local forage share has been reduced from 75% to 50%, with an increase in the amount of supplementary grain. In Comte cheese, the crisis is being mitigated by allowing the procurement of feed corn from outside the region until October 31.