Raw milk ban hits Montreal cheese shop amid disease outbreak in Europe

Those hoping to make Tartiflette this winter will have to find an alternative to the traditional Reblochon cheese, as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has banned the import of certain European cheeses made with raw milk.

The ban specifically targets raw milk cheeses made after May 23 in Italy, France, and Switzerland. It’s because of a lumpy skin disease outbreak in European cattle herds.

“It causes lumpy skin on the cows, but it can also cause pox-like eruptions on their mucus membranes. So it causes a big fever, and it also causes decreases in their health and their productivity as dairy cows,” said Jennifer Ronholm, an associate professor at McGill University and Canada research chair in agricultural microbiology.

Gilles Jourdenais, the owner of Fromagerie Atwater, said, “So yes, we won’t have the classics of Roblochon, Vacherin Mont-d’or, Brie de Meaux, unfortunately. But if I take the Brie de Meaux example: the same company that makes Brie de Meaux, Lait Cru, ‘Raw Milk’ also makes a Fromage de Meaux, which is the same cheese-making operation, but they pasteurize their milk.”

Adding, “My concern for this Christmas is that we have a problem, we can’t fix it like this “en claquant les doigts”. So we will have some beautiful substitutes local and from France and from Italy and from Switzerland.”

In a statement to CityNews, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said: The CFIA is monitoring the LSD outbreak situation in Europe, and import restrictions will be reviewed as the situation evolves. While LSD does not pose a risk to public health, dairy products made from unpasteurized milk, such as cheese, can still carry the virus.

Ronholm adds that the decision is not unexpected, given the risks that virus transmission may pose to the Canadian beef and dairy industry.

“Once the virus comes into the Canadian system, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in a day, right? It’s hard to predict where that cheese is going to go or where it’s going to move around or what people are going to do with it. So controlling a live virus like this one that is highly transmissible once it comes into the country is almost impossible. So it just makes sense to have it not come into the country,” said Ronholm.

Although Jourdonais has over 300 Quebec cheeses to offer his clients, he expressed concern that the ban could have lasting impacts—particularly on aged ones.

“Usually Reggiano comes into Canada around 20, 24, 36 months. If the ban would stay like it is, that means that in 20 months from now, what is being made at the present time would not be allowed into Canada,” explained Jourdenais.

Ronholm adds, “A lot of raw cheese sellers are worried that it’s going to be permanent ban. Like they’re just not going to be able to import these lovely raw milk cheeses from France anymore. And I’m a fan. I’m sad too. But you know, it’s just until they get the disease under control. It’s not an impossible thing to do. There was an outbreak in Israel in 1989. Israel was able to bring it under control. So it’s just until France is able to figure out how to bring the outbreak under control.”