France relaxes rules for famous cheeses as drought threatens to change their taste

Drought has forced a rare exception for the cows whose milk helps produce Comté, one of France’s best-known cheeses. In the Franche-Comté region near the Swiss border, the grass has become so dry that farmers may break the usual feeding rules.

Comté production follows strict requirements. The cows must belong to the correct breed, the milk must be turned into cheese within 24 hours, and the finished cheese must mature for at least four months. These are only some of the roughly 170 rules governing the cheese.