A dairy is a processing plant for milk. Milk products such as butter and buttermilk, cheese, sour milk products, curds, whey and more are produced. In Germany, the term "dairy" is defined in the Act on the Transport of Milk, Milk Products and Fats (Milk and Grease Law). A dairy is an establishment related to the production and sale of dairy as well as it can refer to the economic activity that is exercised in them. The dairy industry that processes liquid milk and products with a short shelf-life, like creams, soft cheeses, and yogurts tend to be located on the periphery of urban centers close to consumer markets. Plants that produce longer shelf life elements, such as butter, milk powder, cheese and whey powder, tend to be located in rural areas close to milk production. Most large-volume processing plants tend to specialize in a limited range of products. However, the large production plants of a wide range of products are still common in Eastern Europe, a vestige of the old centralized conception, driven by the market's offer under Communist governments.