France has temporarily relaxed centuries‑old rules for some of its best‑known protected cheeses after drought scorched pastures and left farmers struggling to feed their herds, issuing emergency waivers that let AOP producers loosen strict requirements on grazing, feed and sourcing to keep dairy production going.
But not every cheesemaker is willing to compromise. Around 70 per cent of Salers producers have stopped making the cheese over the summer rather than alter a recipe that has been unchanged for more than 2,000 years.
