The way in which technology develops in agriculture is one of the issues, which has obtained considerable attention in recent literature. Most interesting is the approach, which analyses the different paths technology takes in relation to specific regional conditions. This paper focuses on two different milk production systems in Italy: the production Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan cheese) and Grana Padano cheese. A milk production system can be considered as the group of interdependent technologies, manpower skills and production structures of both the farm and the milk processing industry. The differences between systems have their origin in the ecological and physical conditions of the production area and in different cost/price relationships. The two above types of cheese are similar and used for the same culinary purposes. They are, however, produced in two different ways: the first one on a small artisanal scale, the second on a larger scale with more industrial concepts. The authors describe first the different technologies used on the farms and by the milk processing industry. They analyse the economic results of both systems at farm and regional level.