‘Because of its size, it’s not worth it!’: The viability of small-scale geographical indication schemes
研究分析了地理标志的理论基础，通过西班牙和斯洛文尼亚两个小规模奶酪案例，发现生产者数量并非关键，公共机构支持和管理结构才是决定地理标志成败的核心因素。
We analyse the theoretical tenets underpinning geographical indications (GIs) and seek to determine whether the number of producers engaged in them matters. To do so, we develop a qualitative methodology to focus on two small-scale cheese productions located in mountain areas endowed with a GI: Cebreiro (Galicia, NW Spain) and Tolminc (Slovenia). In both instances, just two dairies actively produce the GI-certified cheeses; yet, the two case studies differ greatly. In Cebreiro, the GI is seen as an opportunity for development, but the scant number of producers compromises its sustainability. In Tolminc, the GI is monopolised by one company and offers few benefits for the many disengaged producers throughout the region. We conclude that the number of producers engaged in a GI scheme is not a critical factor in their success; rather, public institutional support and the presence/absence of a GI producers’ management structure are pivotal.