Drought forces France to relax traditional cheese production rules

France will temporarily ease strict production rules for several traditional cheeses after severe drought and repeated heatwaves dried out pastures. Changes have already been approved for Comté, Beaufort and Abondance, which carry the AOP protected designation of origin.

Under AOP rules, producers must comply with strict requirements governing where animals graze and what they are fed. However, drought affected 95% of mainland France in July and left many pastures with almost no grass. Farmers will temporarily be allowed to supplement livestock diets with more fodder and grain brought in from other regions.

France’s National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) is also planning temporary exemptions for producers of other well-known cheeses, including Reblochon, Cantal, Bleu d’Auvergne and Fourme d’Ambert. The agency has described the current drought as historic.

Feed shortages are already affecting milk and cheese production. Some farms in Normandy report that cheese output has fallen by around a third due to lower milk yields. About 70% of Salers cheese producers were forced to suspend production during the summer, while Roquefort producers have also requested temporary easing of sheep grazing requirements.

As of August 10, grass growth on France’s permanent pastures was around one-third below the 1989–2018 average. The problems extend beyond livestock farming: French potato growers expect this year’s crop to fall by 23%, while heat and water shortages are also weighing on the outlook for apples and grapes.

Tags: weather conditions, France, drought, Cheese