France is temporarily relaxing some strict production rules for three protected cheeses—Comté, Beaufort and Abondance—after drought and record heatwaves dry up grazing land and limit available forage. Authorities announce special measures that allow producers to adjust how they feed dairy cows as pastures are depleted.
The exemptions target rules tied to France’s protected regional food system (AOP), which typically restrict inputs for traditional cheeses. Outlets report that farmers face shortages of grass and that the usual feeding requirements have become harder to meet. France 24 and The Guardian say the measures include allowing producers to supplement cow diets, including through more imported fodder and grain.
RFI and The Local emphasize the immediate cause—scorched pastures following the summer drought and extreme temperatures—and describe the exemptions as temporary. While the articles broadly align on which cheeses are covered and why, they differ slightly in detail: some focus on reduced access to regional forage, while others highlight the specific allowance for imported feed and broader temporary relief for traditional cheeses under the rule changes.
