France relaxes AOP cheese production rules due to drought

The French government has issued temporary derogations to relax strict production rules for several Protected Designation of Origin (AOP) cheeses due to historic drought and extreme heatwaves. The measures specifically target Abondance, Beaufort, and Comté cheeses, which are traditionally produced using milk from cows grazing on specific local pastures in the Alps and Jura mountains.

Because the drought has left pastures dry and bare—with permanent grassland growth reported to be one-third lower than the 1989–2018 average—producers are now permitted to supplement livestock diets with fodder and grain sourced from outside their designated production zones. For Abondance, producers can significantly reduce the required proportion of grazed grass. Beaufort producers may use more complementary feeds and less local hay, while Comté producers can source green maize from outside their individual farms until the end of October.

The National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) has also indicated that temporary relief will be extended to other AOP products, including Reblochon, Cantal, Bleu d’Auvergne, and Fourme d’Ambert, to help maintain production amid the severe forage crisis.