Absolutely. I'm not arguing for widespread use of raw milk, just mentioning that I actually think that's a bigger source of lost variety in cheese for the vast

Absolutely. I'm not arguing for widespread use of raw milk, just mentioning that I actually think that's a bigger source of lost variety in cheese for the vast majority of us (at least in the UK and US) than a few low-volume types ceasing production. While I'm sure my production facility (a.k.a kitchen) isn't as clean as most commercial facilities, I don't have to transport it, worry about lack of temperature control, or about the lag between when it's ready and when it gets consumed, so there is much less chance I grow a bunch of listeria. I also don't feed it to old people, children, or the immunocompromised.