Lessinia Milk Routes and the Case for Regional Branding
Erbezzo. Which roads does the milk produced within the Park take? Why not use the name of the Regione Naturale Regionale della Lessinia (Regional Natural Park of Lessinia) to offer a product that guarantees authenticity, freshness, and organic quality? How many might embark on such an endeavor? Elena Marastoni, a graduation candidate in economics and agricultural engineering at the Università di Bologna (University of Bologna), pondered this question.
In collaboration with the Park, she conducted an investigation last summer on the 83 farms currently active within the protected area’s borders. 60 percent are located in the Municipality of Boscochiesanuova, 24 percent in Erbezzo, 7 percent in the Municipality of Selva, and the remaining percentages in other mountain municipalities. Of these 83 farms, 55 host dairy cows, 20 manage heifers, two farms are “stocked” with sheep, and six have other purposes: tourism, summer homes, or are entirely closed.
Production and Destination of Milk
The 77 active farms serve 91 companies, but 62 farms involve a single enterprise. Over 6 million liters of milk are produced in the alpine pastures, amounting to 62,000 quintals. But how much of this milk ends up in local dairies, and how much is destined for industry? “45,000 quintals are supplied to local dairies, while another 16,000 go to industrial dairies. The difference between the two types of processing is evident,” explains Marastoni.
“Because local dairies maintain a close connection to the territory, traditions, and the typical processing techniques of the area, they involve businesses of various sizes and make verbal agreements with their members. Industrial dairies tend to lose the product’s identity easily, becoming depersonalized, showing little interest in traditional production, involving farms that guarantee minimum quantities of deliveries, being more stringent on hygiene standards, distributing production incentives at year-end, and subscribing to regular contracts.”
Milk Price and Contribution to Tradition
However, the most striking finding from the research is the price of milk: 710 lire per kilogram paid by local dairies to producers, compared to 724 lire paid by industrial dairies. Is this the end of Lessinia’s milk as a typical product? Probably yes, unless interventions are made through brand valorization systems, because nobody works long-term just for glory.
Meanwhile, the research revealed that the milk from the high pastures of Lessinia takes different routes: it ends up in Albero (Vicenza), at the Parmalat plant in Verona, at the Cooperativa Sant’Anna dairy, or at the Villa di Erbusco dairy (Brescia), where it is transformed into Lombard quartirolo, provolone, and Franciacorta robiola cheese.
Interest in “stocking” farms with cows is declining, while empty farms are gradually used to bring heifers. “The reasons cited by breeders are that access roads to the farms are difficult, sometimes blocked by three or four gates, and it is impossible to pass them four times a day for milking,” explains the graduate student.
Usually, nearby there are technologically advanced barns that produce better results in terms of quantity and quality of milk, and bringing cattle to the farm often compromises milk production,” she adds. A harsh but realistic analysis of the situation, confirmed by breeders’ stories: “In the barn, I obtain between 27 and 30 kg of milk per cow per day. On the farm, I get about ten, and additionally, the cow loses a significant amount of weight,” laments a local breeder.
“Are farms a source of income or a loss for us? Why not all the milk from the alpine pasture becomes Monte Veronese Dop cheese and instead contributes to Grana Padano cheese, possibly produced in Brescia and which could easily be made from other milk?” The same breeder from Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo asks, confirming that no one in his area still brings cows to the farm anymore.
Marastoni does not delve deeply but hints that the only viable path is towards specialization in a typical product, guaranteed, protected by a known and recognizable brand.
