Episode 2873: Vinnie Tortorich and Jenni Harris of White Oak Pastures discuss regenerative farming, grass-fed beef, and why it matters to know where your beef comes from.
Back on the Farm
- Vinnie opens with the theme from Bonanza and Sam Elliott’s famous beef commercial. (0:00)
- Jenni Harris of White Oak Pastures joins the show. Her dad, Will Harris, has been a guest before. (1:30)
- Vinnie and Jenni agree that factory farming is not the best way to go. (4:30)
- Jenni finds real common ground with her vegan and vegetarian friends.
- Jenni and her sister are the fifth generation of Harrises to live and work on their farm in Bluffton, Georgia. (5:30)
- After World War II, farming changed in three big ways: commoditization, centralization, and industrialization. (6:30)
- Her grandfather took the farm from many crops and animals down to just cattle.
- In the mid-90s, Will Harris became disgusted with the commodity food system and decided to change it. (9:00)
- Today, White Oak thinks of itself as a little functioning food system. (9:30)
Better Beef
- Vinnie and Jenni talk about Dr. Temple Grandin, played by Claire Danes in the movie about her life. (9:30)
- Temple designed the holding pens at White Oak’s processing plant so animals move through stress-free. (11:30)
- Vinnie explains, from his deer hunting days in Louisiana, how a stressed animal’s meat tastes different. (12:30)
- To White Oak, a factory farm is not about size. It’s a lack of complexity. (15:00)
- Jenni explains the difference between commodity and regenerative products. (16:30)
- Grass-raised and grain-finished, or grass-fed all the way? (20:00)
- Grain finishing speeds up the time it takes an animal to get ready for harvest. (21:30)
- Her dad compares it to chaining a child to a couch and feeding them nothing but potato chips and candy bars.
- Grass-fed animals keep moving and grazing and gain weight at a much more natural pace.
- You are what you eat eats. (24:00)
Keeping the Farm Alive
- How does a farm like White Oak make a living? (25:30)
- Jenni says the average farmer is in their 60s, and many farms are selling out. (26:00)
- White Oak added processing, branded its product, ships direct to consumers, and welcomes thousands of visitors and workshop guests. (27:00)
- Jenni left for Atlanta, then came home to be White Oak’s marketing manager. (28:00)
- What they lack in profitability, they make up for in quality of life.
- Vinnie, a die-hard Hallmark Christmas movie fan, says Jenni’s story is straight out of one. (29:30)
- Showing cattle in 4-H teaches kids real responsibility. (41:00)
- Will Harris wanted to create an opportunity, not an obligation, for the next generation. (47:00)
Where’s Your Beef From?
- Vinnie asks about beef labeled “Made in America” that could have come from anywhere. (49:30)
- Mandatory country of origin labeling for beef was rescinded in 2015. (50:30)
- Imported beef could then be repackaged here and labeled “Product of the USA,” at a fraction of what it costs to raise an animal in the United States.
- Jenni calls it the single biggest event that decreased White Oak’s volume.
- Since January 2026, imported beef can no longer be labeled “Product of the USA,” but it doesn’t have to name any country either. (52:30)
- For now, the way to know is to know your farmer, though Congress is talking about bringing country of origin labeling back. (53:30)
- Why it matters: there’s a saying that a nation that can’t feed itself can’t really call itself free. (55:00)
- Farms are being sold off for development and data centers. (56:00)
- Vinnie talks about his friend Mike Rowe’s podcast on producing more energy here at home. (56:30)
- Vinnie explains why his vitamin company makes everything in U.S. factories, with third-party testing. (59:30)
A Special Offer
- Jenni started earning her paycheck when she launched White Oak’s e-commerce. (1:02:00)
- Vinnie has partnered with White Oak Pastures. (1:03:30)
- White Oak Pastures has a discount code, VINNIE, that gets you 20% off your first order. (1:04:00)
- Go to WhiteOakPastures.com to order.
- Vinnie will also send the details to his email list.
- Vinnie recommends the series Lioness. (1:06:00)
Important Reminders
- Get Vinnie’s e-book here: https://nsng.vinnietortorich.com/product/intro-to-nsng/
- Don’t forget to get Anna’s new book Eat Happy Cocktail Hour!
- You can order it here: https://eathappycocktailhour.com
- It’s also available in Vinnie’s Book Club here: https://tinyurl.com/eathappycocktail
- Eat Happy Cocktail Hour features cocktails, mocktails, and appetizers, and it’s out now.
- Order and get bonus goodies!
- You can order from a wide variety of booksellers at https://eathappycocktailhour.com/
- Please save your receipt from wherever you order; you’ll need it for your bonuses!
- Check out the Aletha Hip HookTM that Vinnie uses to reduce pain and increase mobility:
You can purchase your own through Vinnie’s website here: https://vinnietortorich.com/hook
- Anna’s products are now linked to Pure Vitamin Club’s website. You can also purchase them under the “Food and Snacks” section.
- https://purevitaminclub.com/collections/food-and-snacks
- Vinnie hopes to add other products as well, all of which will be health-related.
Book a consultation with Vinnie for guidance on your goals. https://vinnietortorich.com/phone-consultation-2/
More News
- Serena has added some clothing and beauty product suggestions to Vinnie’s Amazon Recommended Products link.
- Don’t forget to check out Serena Scott Thomas on Days of Our Lives on Peacock.
- “Dirty Keto” is available on Amazon!
- You can purchase or rent it here. https://amzn.to/4d9agj1
- Please watch, rate, and review it!
- Eat Happy Italian, Anna’s second cookbook, is available!
- You can go to https://eathappyitalian.com
- You can order it from Vinnie’s Book Club. https://amzn.to/3ucIXm
- Anna’s recipes are in her cookbooks, on her website, and on Substack. They will spice up your day! https://annavocino.substack.com/
