US Cheese Fears Rebrand as EU Claims Rights to Names Like Asiago

Lasagna topped with freshly grated “hard white cheese” doesn’t sound quite as appetizing, US cheesemakers say.

Cheese companies in the US are scared they’ll lose the ability to brand their products with terms like “parmesan,” “asiago,” and “havarti” as the European Union increasingly pushes for geographical indications. These trademark-type tools limit the use of regional descriptors when foods aren’t actually made in a given region. The effect would be similar to champagne: while the alcoholic beverage from the Champagne region of France can bear that name, if produced in the US, it’s just sparkling wine.

Most US producers agree such ...