White Oak Pastures is a 160-year-old, zero-waste, regenerative farm that raises 10 species of animals living in symbiotic relationships with each other and the land. Starting in 1995, the farm transitioned away from industrial agriculture techniques and began operating their farm as a living ecosystem.
As a brand, White Oak has been a pioneer in American grass-fed beef production, selling both Publix and Whole Foods their first domestic-supplied grass-fed beef over a decade ago. Today, White Oak operates a myriad of businesses at their home ranch in Bluffton, Georgia with a team of 160 people and their products are sought out by customers in 48 of the 50 states.
In this episode, Will shares his journey from industrial cattleman to regenerative innovator, Jenni details how the business has shifted from grocery to e-commerce, and both of our guests share their story with their trademark transparency, humility, and Southern charm.
Will and Jenni highlight the need for consumer-driven change in agriculture, Jenni shares how being on The Joe Rogan Experience has affected their business, and Will takes us behind the scenes of producing his book, A Bold Return To Giving A Damn.
Episode Highlights:
🔥 Was White Oak Pastures the first regenerative brand?
💥 160 Years, 5 Generations, & A Bold Return To Giving A Damn
👀 How White Oak Pastures almost had a different name
💡 Will’s journey from industrial to regenerative agriculture
♻️ Vertical integration, endless enterprises, and zero-waste processing
🍗 Why White Oak produces and sells unprofitable poultry
🚀 How COVID and being on Rogan boosted their business
📚 Why Will wrote a book and how its been received
🥩 Domestic vs imported beef and dumb labeling laws
🛒 Why food system change must be consumer-led
Links:
White Oak Pastures - https://whiteoakpastures.com/
A Bold Return To Giving A Damn - https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/a-bold-return-to-giving-a-damn
The Center for Agricultural Resilience (CFAR) - https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/centerforagriculturalresilience
Internship Program - https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/careers
FOND Bone Broth - https://fondbonebroth.com/
Figure Ate - https://figureatefoods.com/
Joe Rogan Experience #2062 - Will & Jenni Harris - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nMVkf8bAVekGEbMA3dX7s?si=4sLYFhXORTipLZg-8o2q5w
Joe Rogan Experience #1893 - Will Harris - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qf7CYEhxSFPAcdSw1JJMY?si=A0aGdEiURXOFTdoFAzijaA
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