Low-key bioeconomies: The case of farmers markets in East Yorkshire

This chapter explores forms of the bioeconomy that are small scale, use limited amount of resources, and are managed by very small businesses, participating in distribution networks outside the big supply chains. These economic activities not only fulfill the criteria for inclusion in the bioeconomy but also have potential to promote sustainability in production and distribution processes, that is, balancing economic, environmental, and social interests (World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) 1987). The aim of this chapter is to examine farmers’ markets and small markets as an example of a neglected aspect of the bioeconomy and explore both the implications that this activity has for the perceptions of the bioeconomy and the role of the bioeconomic policies in supporting local production and sustainability.