Increasingly extreme heatwaves sweeping across Europe are no longer just threatening crops and livestock — they’re now jeopardizing one of Italy’s most iconic food products: Parmigiano Reggiano. In Emilia-Romagna, the historic birthplace of authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, soaring temperatures are reducing milk yields, driving up energy costs, and raising alarms that climate change could reshape the future of a cheese with over 800 years of tradition.
A Changing Climate for Cattle and Cheese
Fifty years ago, farmers in the region opened stable windows only on summer nights to cool their dairy cows, according to a Reuters report. Today, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C, barns stay ventilated around the clock — equipped with fans and water-spraying systems to protect both animal welfare and milk quality.
“Extreme heat affects both the quality and quantity of milk,” said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium and owner of a family-run farm near Parma operating since 1895. When temperatures climb above 40°C, cows spend more time lying down, eat less, and can produce up to 10% less milk — a serious blow, given that milk is one of only three ingredients (alongside salt and rennet) used to make authentic Parmigiano Reggiano.
Strict Origins, Growing Vulnerabilities
Production of Parmigiano Reggiano is legally permitted only in five provinces of northern Italy — primarily Emilia-Romagna — and the cows must be fed exclusively on locally grown grass and hay. “If it doesn’t rain, grass doesn’t grow, hay isn’t produced, and there’s no milk for the cheese,” explained Bertinelli.
Rising Costs Across the Supply Chain
The need for constant cooling has sharply increased electricity consumption on farms — but the strain doesn’t stop there. High temperatures also affect the vast aging warehouses where Parmigiano Reggiano wheels mature for at least 12 months — and often up to three years.
More than 500,000 wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano — valued at over €300 million — are stored in two facilities operated by Magazzini Generali delle Tagliate (MGT) in the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Modena. These temperature-controlled warehouses are widely known as the “Bank of Parmigiano Reggiano,” housing hundreds of thousands of wheels of immense economic and cultural value.
“During this year’s extreme heatwaves, daily energy consumption rose by about 30%,” said Giancarlo Ravagnetti, director of MGT. The company is investing continuously in upgraded cooling systems, improved insulation, and renewable energy generation to curb rising energy costs.