The French government has announced a temporary relaxation of strict production rules for several iconic cheeses, including Comte, Beaufort, and Abondance. This decision comes after severe droughts and record heatwaves scorched grazing pastures, leaving farmers with no grass left for their herds to eat.
To protect the livelihoods of traditional dairy workers and ensure production is not put at risk, producers have been granted waivers regarding where their herds graze. They are now permitted to supplement their cows' diets with fodder and grain brought in from elsewhere, a relaxation of rules that normally ensure authenticity. These temporary exemptions will also apply to other traditional cheeses.
Typically, producers must follow rigid rules on where their animals graze and what they eat to earn coveted labels. These measures are especially critical for Comte, a hard cheese made from raw cows' milk in the Jura mountains. As France's top-selling traditional cheese, Comte saw more than 62,000 tonnes produced last year.