Semi-Firm, Aged Gold: Rural Economic Effects of AOC Comté and Their Implications for Vermont Agricultural Policy

Geographical Indications, though widely used as a legal and marketing tool in European countries, do not enjoy the same protections and status in the United States. However, many American agrifood products could be characterized by their terroir, such as the cheese produced in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. As geographical indications can be a driver of economic development in a delineated region, they have potential for producers of place-based products in the United States. However, fundamental differences exist in the conception of intellectual property in the U.S. and Europe, affecting the feasibility of geographical indications as a rural development strategy. This study examines differences in European and U.S. understanding and usage of intellectual property as they relate to geographical indications, using Comté cheese in France and Jasper Hill cheese in Vermont as case studies.