The case for regenerative agriculture

Angus McIntosh

Angus McIntosh’s life changed beyond recognition after he read The Omnivore's Dilemma – Michael Pollan’s celebrated book on the personal and global health implications of the food choices we make. The book inspired him to drop everything and leave his life as a stockbroker in London working for Goldman Sachs, to become a regenerative farmer in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town in South Africa. In this enthralling talk, he takes us on a tour de force of how regenerative agriculture produces healthier food, creates more employment, and heals the Earth, in stark contrast to the all-round damaging effects of monoculture.

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Angus McIntosh is Farmer Angus, one of only two producers of grass-fed, pasture-reared beef in the Western Cape, South Africa. Situated on 126 hectares of irrigated pasture at Spier Wine Estate near Stellenbosch, Farmer Angus applies biodynamic and regenerative agricultural principles and practices in the raising of cattle, pigs, broiler chickens, and laying hens, as well as vegetables and wine. Angus runs the only butchery in South Africa that does not add nitrates, gluten, and nitrites to the meat. After reading about Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia, USA, in Michael Pollans’ The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Angus decided to become a farmer. He started farming on Spier in December 2008, under the mentorship of Christo Kok.