Setting up an Italian-Slovenian Service Centre to carry out the collection, analysis, qualitative assessment and marketing of milk (produced by cows, goats or sheep) and its subsequent processing with innovative company-supporting technologies .

The constant development of cattle, goat and sheep breeding in the cross-border area makes it possible to maintain the rural culture and the population in the area. Livestock farms therefore become very important from the social point of view, for they ensure the continuity of traditional culture in these areas, which are still closely connected with agricultural production. Sheep and goat breeding in the Italian border area is undergoing a sharp decline, because of the insufficient enhancement of the products made with sheep and goat milk; for the time being, therefore, it does not attract new investments. The milk laboratory of the KGZS GO institute, the central milk laboratory in Rome and Codroipo laboratory have been cooperating, for several years now, in milk analysis. The market is more and more demanding and requires new research on this raw material. This project envisages the construction, in the Italian territory (Tolmezzo), of a bottling plant for cow, goat and sheep milk in the mountain area, whereas the Slovenian partner will modernize its milk experimental laboratory. A lasting cooperation between the two (scientific and local) communities will be fostered with regard to milk cattle-goatand- sheep breeding, joint research and the development of new opportunities for the production and the marketing of quality fresh milk and its by-products. This initiative suggests a constant, effective and bilateral professional commitment in the breeding of milk animals and in the selection activities aimed at improving milk quality. Attention will be paid to production orientation and innovative technologies in order to support producers.