This article seeks to challenge the notion that the concept of agro‐extractivism be restricted to crops destined for export with little or no processing. Based on a study of agave and tequila production in Mexico, it argues that the domestic processing of biomass does not change nor necessarily compensate for the negative social and environmental impacts of upstream agricultural activities; it can in fact add to them. We seek to demonstrate this to be the case for industrialized agave–tequila production by adopting an approach that traces the flows of materials, pollutants and money, taking into consideration the degree to which transnational companies control the agave–tequila value chain, the portion of tequila that is exported, technologies, company–farmer and company–worker relations, relevant public policy, and environmental and social impacts. We analyse the polluting consequences of industrialized tequila production and show how the expansion and intensification of agave production since the mid‐1990s has been characterized by increasing volumes of biomass extraction, the emergence or exacerbation of different forms of environmental degradation, the marginalization of small‐scale agave farmers, and deteriorating working conditions for agave‐field workers. In addition, we briefly discuss traditional mezcal production as a socially and ecologically sustainable alternative model.

中文翻译：

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蒸馏农业极端主义：墨西哥的龙舌兰和龙舌兰酒生产

本文旨在挑战农业灭绝主义的概念仅限于原本用于出口而无需加工或很少加工的农作物的观点。根据对墨西哥龙舌兰和龙舌兰酒生产的研究，该研究认为，国内生物质加工不会改变，也不一定能弥补上游农业活动对社会和环境造成的负面影响；它实际上可以添加到他们。我们试图通过采用一种跟踪物料，污染物和资金流的方法，并考虑跨国公司在多大程度上控制龙舌兰-龙舌兰酒价值链的程度，来证明这是龙舌兰-龙舌兰酒工业化生产的情况。出口的龙舌兰酒，技术，公司与农民以及公司与工人的关系，相关的公共政策，以及环境和社会影响。我们分析了工业化龙舌兰酒生产的污染后果，并展示了自1990年代中期以来龙舌兰生产的扩大和集约化具有以下特征：生物量提取量增加，各种形式的环境退化的出现或加剧，小规模龙舌兰的边缘化扩大龙舌兰农户的规模，使龙舌兰现场工人的工作条件恶化。此外，我们简要讨论了传统的梅斯卡尔生产作为一种在社会和生态上可持续的替代模型。不同形式的环境退化的出现或加剧，龙舌兰小农的边缘化以及龙舌兰田间工作者的工作条件恶化。此外，我们简要讨论了传统的梅斯卡尔生产作为一种在社会和生态上可持续的替代模型。不同形式的环境退化的出现或加剧，龙舌兰小农的边缘化以及龙舌兰田间工作者的工作条件恶化。此外，我们简要讨论了传统的梅斯卡尔生产作为一种在社会和生态上可持续的替代模型。