WASHINGTON — Would Parmesan by any other name be as tasty atop your pasta? A ripening trade battle might put that to the test.
As part of trade talks, the European Union wants to ban the use of names such as Parmesan, feta and Gorgonzola on cheese made in the U.S.
The argument is that the American-made cheeses are shadows of the original European varieties, and they cut into sales and the identity of the European cheeses.
U.S. dairy producers, cheesemakers and food companies are all fighting the idea, which they say would hurt the $4 billion domestic-cheese industry and endlessly confuse consumers.
“It’s really stunning that the Europeans are trying to claw back products made popular in other countries,” says Jim Mulhern, president of the National Milk Producers Federation, which represents U.S. dairy farmers.
