Sostenibilità della zootecnia alpina da latte in Piemonte: il caso di studio del PAT Toma di Lanzo

Sustainability of Alpine Dairy Farms in Piedmont: the case study of Toma di Lanzo PAT – In the recent years, alpine farms have suffered a contraction that led farmers to operate in an increasingly less remunerative context, with a loss of economic and landscape value of the mountain. The recovery of the territory can also pass from the enhancement of typical products and the case study of the Toma di Lanzo PAT is an example. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and a Life Cycle Costs (LCC) analysis of Toma di Lanzo “from cradle to retail stores” was carried out. Through comparison of mountainous and valley production scenarios, we calculated contribution to global warming (kg CO2 eq.) and economic results for the production of a form of cheese (average weight of 7 kg). The results obtained have shown that in mountain pasture scenarios there is a greater use of local natural resources, highlighting how the mountain pasture product has a low environmental impact and overall good profitability for the farmer. The enhancement of this PAT must therefore involve both the farmers, through a work of greater awareness of their role in the protection of the alpine environment and the consumers, for whom the knowledge of the product and its intrinsic qualities is of fundamental relevance.