Organic Certification and the Rationalization of Alternative Food and Agriculture: Sustainable Shrimp Farming in Indonesia - Re-Thinking Organic Food and Farming in a Changing World - page 56

As alternative food and agriculture expands, and becomes an increasingly well-
established component of the global agrifood system, there is a trend towards
increased rationalization and standardization. This chapter indicates that such
developments may constrain the original intent and aims of alternative food and
agriculture. Specifically, the emphasis on objectivity, calculability, and expert
knowledge that characterize certification may limit both farmer and consumer
participation and voice in alternative food and agriculture. As the sustainable shrimp
project indicates, with certification there is the danger that farmers will become sub-
jects to be controlled and consumer activity will be limited to just that of purchasing
practices. Under such circumstances, the likelihood of a declining commitment to
the aims of alternative food and agriculture and erosion of trust would be significant.
Thus, with certification I argue that the trend may be towards alternative agrifood
initiatives that are increasingly standardized, objective, calculable, but embody
shallow forms of social justice and environmental sustainability. Put differently,
building on Georg Ritzers ( 2010 ) notion of McDonaldization, what may be taking
place in alternative food and agriculture is what I refer to as “McSustainability” or
“McJustice.”
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