Widespread drought and record-breaking heatwaves have forced French authorities to dial down some of their famously strict rules on cheese production, as farmers struggle to feed their cows with increasingly-bare pastures.⁣ ⁣ Special measures for several cheeses including abondance, beaufort and comte have been introduced, which allows farmers to supplement the animals' diet with more fodder and grain brought in from elsewhere, without sacrificing their coveted "appellation d'origine protegee" (Protected Designation of Origin) labels.⁣ ⁣ The National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), 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.⁣ ⁣ In France, farmers are bracing for their smallest corn crop since 1980, and winegrowers are reporting some of the earliest harvests on record.⁣ ⁣ #FrenchCheese #FrenchWine #AOP #Abondance #Beaufort...