In Northern Italy, the autonomous province of South Tyrol has the biggest single area producing apple trees in Europe. The 19 000 ha of apple production area in South Tyrol supplies up to 50% of the national Italian apple market, 15% of the European and 2% of the global apple market. Apple production has been able to flourish and has consistently responded to market demands and competition in the European and global markets. Since the end of the Second World War and continuing, the various stakeholders involved in apple production and marketing have organized themselves in an efficient and effective Learning and Innovation Network for Sustainable Agriculture (LINSA). It is a highly sophisticated and adaptive network involving producers, their cooperatives and associations; research; agricultural advisory services; and other public and private actors, all collaborating in a network of linkages that functions due to the high level of understanding and co-operation amongst all stakeholders.