Summer heat waves are putting the squeeze on Italy’s cheese reserves, and it’s having a major impact on a culturally iconic economy that predates da Vinci, Michelangelo and Dante. The weather is affecting “cheese banks” in Emilia-Romagna, where hundreds of thousands of Parmigiano Reggiano wheels are stored as collateral for farm loans. “Extreme heat impacts milk’s quality and quantity,” said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium. Italy produced 4.19 million wheels in 2025 with a turnover of more than $6 billion, according to the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium. And we gotta have our ParmExperts note that Parmigiano Reggiano is naturally lactose‑free, high in protein and free of additives — and some consider it to be a “superfood.”