EU grab of common cheese names worries U.S. dairy industry

The European Union’s attempt to “confiscate” common cheese names would cost the U.S. dairy industry billions of dollars if trade negotiators don’t hold the line, according to a new study.  Many cheese names such as Feta, which originated in Greece, are identified with a specific location but have been commonly used to identify that type of cheese, no matter where it is made.  The EU now wants to “confiscate” those generic names for the benefit of its farmers and processors, said Jaime Castaneda, senior vice president of trade policy for the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the National Milk Producers Federation. “The problem is not with the well-defined (geographic identity),” she said. “The problem is with attempting to extend GI protection to many food names that have on one hand little to no geographic identity or on the other hand have become generic names, in some cases for centuries.”