The Straits Times World News
· collected 2026-08-26 · by The Straits Times
France's strict rules on cheese production have been relaxed due to widespread drought and heatwaves that have affected 95% of mainland France in July. The government will allow producers of certain hard cheeses to supplement their cows' diet with more fodder and grain, a measure affecting abondance, beaufort, and comte cheeses. Growth on permanent grasslands is 33% less than the 1989-2018 average, according to the Agriculture Ministry's statistical service. The change aims to help cheesemakers navigate the drought's impact on traditional production methods.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-26,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
France's severe drought has led the government to relax some of its strict rules on cheese production. The country's famous hard cheeses, such as abondance, beaufort, and comte, are made from raw milk produced by cows grazing in the Alps and Jura mountains. However, due to the 95% drought affecting mainland France in July, pastures have become dry and bare. To help cheesemakers, the government will allow them to supplement their cows' diet with additional fodder and grain brought in from elsewhere. This temporary measure is intended to aid producers of these specific cheeses, which are known for their strict production methods and protected designations of origin. The drought has also resulted in a third less growth on permanent grasslands compared to the average from 1989 to 2018.
Written for “European Cheese Production Crisis” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 2465: no verified evidence · logged 2026-08-27
France eases cow diets as cheesemakers sweat
AI generated
asserted
cheesemakers → ease → diets
Widespread drought and record-breaking heatwaves have forced France to relax some of its famously strict rules on cheese production, with authorities announcing on Aug 26 special measures for abondance, beaufort and comte.
asserted
authorities → break → abondance
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.
asserted
authorities → go → 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.
asserted
they → earn → what
But the summer’s drought, which affected 95 per cent of mainland France in July, has left normally rich pastures dry and bare.
asserted
which → affect → pastures
In response, the government has said producers of abondance, beaufort and comte - hard cheeses made from the raw milk of cows grazing in the Alps and Jura mountains - can supplement the animals’ diet with more fodder and grain brought in from elsewhere.
asserted
producers → say → fodder
Growth on permanent grasslands as of Aug 10 is a third less than the 1989 to 2018 average, according to the Agriculture Ministry’s statistical service.
uncertain
Growth → accord → service
The fodder situation is “highly degraded” in almost all regions, the ministry said earlier this month.
asserted
ministry → say → regions
The National Institute of Origin and Quality, the government agency that administers and enforces rules of origin, says it will also grant temporary relief for several other cheeses including reblochon, cantal, bleu d’Auvergne, and fourme d’Ambert.
asserted
it → administer → reblochon
Europe’s record-breaking summer heat has caused thousands of excess deaths, set wildfires blazing and seen major rivers drop to record lows.
asserted
rivers → break → lows
In France, farmers are bracing for their smallest corn crop since 1980, and winegrowers are reporting some of the earliest harvests on record.
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winegrowers → brace → record
Scientists say human-caused climate change has intensified the drought, with extreme heat rather than low rainfall driving the dry conditions.
asserted
heat → say → conditions
