US: An international battle over cheese has left European producers feeling bitter

Published 2023년 3월 24일

Tridge summary

A US court has refused to grant protected status to the name 'gruyere' for Swiss cheese, backing the Dairy Export Council's argument that the term is generic. This decision contradicts the European practice of protecting geographical names of traditional foods to preserve cultural heritage. The case highlights the ongoing conflict between Europe's effort to legally protect the reputation and tradition of 'products with a story' and the US's approach, which permits the use of such names for cheeses and other products produced elsewhere. This dispute, which could potentially cost the American dairy industry up to $20 billion, reflects the vastly different perspectives on food regulation and the value of intellectual property rights associated with food products.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

The taste of gruyere, for example, can depend on where you eat it. In Europe, it has a particular taste that comes from being a Swiss cheese (a French version is also available) made by heating Swiss cow’s milk in a copper vat and then ripening the cheese in Swiss cellars with the humidity of a natural cave. In the US though, gruyere means any nutty, pale yellow cheese made from cow’s milk, and it can be produced anywhere in the world. That definition was recently given legal weight by the US court system after representatives of Swiss and French manufacturers tried to win protected status for the word “gruyere”. This would have restricted the use of the term in the US for cheeses produced in particular parts of Switzerland and France. The European consortiums’ aim was to extend the kind of prize status grueyere enjoys closer to home. For in Switzerland and the EU, gruyere is protected by a geographical label which certifies that production, including the sourcing of the raw ...

Source: Bizcommunity