The dairy industry in Lombardy. In the mountains and on the plains (1815-1937)

The essay reconstructs the evolution of cheese production in the Lombardy area. The research considers the production of cheese related to breeding in the Alpine valleys and the phenomenon of transhumance with dairy activity in the Po valley during the second half of the nineteenth century. The role of livestock farmers was established in connection with the activity of commercial intermediaries operating in the cities and in particular in Milan. Finally, the text reconstructs the rise among the so-called "bergamini" of cheese entrepreneurs in the area of Lecco (Lake Como) with a particular capacity for productive and commercial innovation.