Feta and other European-style cheeses are at the heart of an international trade dispute over naming rights. The EU maintains that cheeses like feta, Parmesan, Asiago, and gorgonzola can only bear those names if produced in their traditional regions following strict methods.
For feta, this means it must come from specific regions of Greece, with production traditions dating back centuries.
American producers argue that these names have become generic and that consumers should decide which cheeses succeed in the market. The Trump administration has pushed for international agreements to secure the right for US companies to market American-made Asiago, feta, Parmesan, gorgonzola, brie, and munster using their familiar names.
Countries such as Taiwan, Malaysia, and Argentina have agreed to allow American cheesemakers to use these labels, creating a growing global market for US exports.
The EU and its consortia have fiercely opposed this. The Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, representing thousands of Italian producers, enforces strict protections. In 2025, the consortium estimated sales of “fake Parmesan” outside the EU at over €2 billion annually.
Similar protections are included in EU trade agreements with Indonesia and Australia, restricting the use of European cheese names to traditional regions.
US producers highlight their efficiency and generations of experience in European-style cheese, offering lower prices and expanding exports, reaching a record 613,000 tons in 2024, according to Wall Street Journal.
The standoff continues, with US and EU approaches clashing outside their own borders, making feta and other cheeses a symbol of the broader tension between geographic origin protections and global market access.