France is temporarily relaxing strict production rules for several iconic cheeses as drought and record heat leave pastures severely depleted. Producers of abondance, beaufort and comté can now use more imported fodder and grain to feed their cows, while other traditional cheeses will also receive temporary exemptions.
Widespread drought and record-breaking heatwaves have forced France to relax some of its famously strict rules on cheese production, with authorities announcing Wednesday special measures for abondance, beaufort and comte.
France's vast array of local cheeses are a source of national pride and authorities go to great lengths to protect traditional production methods and ensure authenticity.
To earn a coveted "appellation d'origine protegee" (Protected Designation of Origin) label -- and the right to give their cheese a particular protected name -- producers must follow rigid rules on where their animals graze and what they eat.
But the summer's drought, which affected 95 percent of mainland France in July, has left normally rich pastures dry and bare.
[...]