Extreme Heat Puts Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano at Risk

taly’s Parmigiano Reggiano producers are facing mounting challenges as record-breaking heatwaves disrupt milk production, increase operating costs and raise concerns about the future of one of the country’s most celebrated agricultural products.

In Emilia-Romagna, the historic heartland of Parmigiano Reggiano, farmers say soaring temperatures are affecting both the quantity and quality of the milk needed to produce the world-famous cheese. The region, where authentic Parmigiano Reggiano can only be made, has seen temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius, forcing producers to adopt increasingly costly measures to protect their livestock.

“Extreme heat impacts milk’s quality and quantity,” said Nicola Bertinelli to Reuters, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, who also runs his family’s dairy farm near Parma.