Heat Wave Strains Parmigiano Reggiano Production in Italy

Extreme heat waves are threatening the centuries-old production of Italy's famed Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, forcing farmers and producers to invest heavily in cooling systems as milk yields drop and costs soar. The heartland of this protected cheese, a region encompassing provinces like Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena, has faced temperatures climbing toward 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) this summer, stressing dairy cows and degrading the quality of their milk.

Under such intense heat, cows eat less, lie down more, and can produce up to 10 percent less milk, directly reducing the supply for cheese production. Industry officials note that the impact goes beyond quantity. Heat-stressed cows produce thinner milk that curdles more slowly, complicating the precise cheesemaking process and threatening the texture and flavor that define Parmigiano Reggiano. The cheese is made exclusively from raw cow's milk, with nearly 2 billion liters used annually to produce about 3.5 million wheels.

To cope, farmers are installing fans, water-mist systems, and enhanced barn cooling. Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium and a dairy farmer, explained that...