Heat and drought imperil France’s iconic cheeses and their terroir
Historic heat waves and summer drought are drying French pastures, shrinking milk yields and forcing Salers cheese producers to halt production or switch to other cheeses like Cantal; regulators have temporarily relaxed grazing and fodder rules for several AOP cheeses to cope with the drought; research suggests grass-fed cows produce richer, more aromatic cheeses with healthier omega-3, implying climate-driven feed changes could subtly alter flavor and terroir, threatening livelihoods and the traditional cheese-making culture.
