In 2009, French dairies produced 176,700 tons of raw milk cheese representing an annual increase of almost 4% even though the overall cheese making industry showed a 2% set back. Raw milk cheese, which is 15% of the total production of cheese and essentially produced in the Franche-Comté, Rhône-Alpes and Midi-Pyrenees areas holds, for the most part, an AOC (protected designation of origin).