Life DOP

Demonstrative mOdel of circular economy Process in a high quality dairy industry

Duration of the project: 48 months

The agricultural sector, namely the zootechnical one, is increasingly called into question as regards to the contribution of climate-changing emissions. Important innovation in the  production processes are necessary to strongly reduce the impact of production.

LIFE DOP is a LIFE project funded by the European Commission, located in Mantua, in the center of the Grana cheese production chain. It aims to develop and demonstrate a new production model for Grana Padano PDO and Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, capable of reducing the environmental impact of production. As the literature (IPCC 2006) clearly indicates, a relevant area of ​​the emission of climate-changing gases in milk production is the management of slurry and nutrients, and these are key areas in which it is important to invest to reduce impacts. In the LIFEDOP project qualifying points of intervention for the reduction of emissions are the correct slurry management (stabilization by anaerobic digestion and production of renewable energy), the efficient use of digestate in the field with distribution in pre-sowing and coverage through injection and micro-fertigation techniques, production of renewable fertilizers for export to areas with low zootechnical intensity, the production of low impact feed (minimum processing techniques) and finally the optimization of the management of stables and processes in the dairy.