A visit to PLAC dairies in Cremona to show how our milk is transformed into Grana Padana cheese. Similar to Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) it is Italy's most exported DOP ("protected origin" )foodstuff with 1,000,000 cheeses of 40-44kg each being sold abroad per year. The warehouse at the end of the set of photos houses 160,000 cheeses, which are matured there for between 16-24 months, as well as other products which are all different forms of Provolone cheese.
Our farm is a member of a different cooperative dairy in Soresina which produces the cheese in exactly the same way - it is much larger and their warehouse has 1,000,000 of these cheeses stored.
http://www.latteriasoresina.it/en/company/
I went on this trip to act as translator to the two farmers from California (pictured with beers after the tour) who were visiting us that day. Hank Van Exel and Jory Arioso who between them milk 2500 cows! Hank was in Italy as he was the judge at the European Dairy Show in Cremona this year(he is wearing the cap!).