560: The Real Cost Of Conventional Agriculture And Cheap Food With Will Harris
Wise Traditions
Weston A. Price Foundation
4.7 • 2.4K Ratings
🗓️ 5 January 2026
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We all love a bargain when it comes to food. But what if it's not a good deal in the long run? Cheap food comes at a high cost, according to farmer Will Harris from White Oak Pastures. Will is a fourth generation cattle rancher who once farmed conventionally. Now, Will, is an author and a strong advocate for regenerative agriculture. Why did he make the switch?
Today, Will opens up about his story. He sheds light on the problems with the conventional/industrial model of agriculture along the way – pointing out its drawbacks on the environment, animal welfare, and on our the health of humanity. Will also highlights the benefits and changes he's seen on the land he grew up on, since changing to a more holistic/natural approach to farming and ranching.
Visit Will Harris' website: whiteoakpastures.com
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The industrial agricultural model that we use makes cheap food. |
| 0:09.0 | Yes. |
| 0:10.0 | It makes really cheap food. |
| 0:11.0 | But it does it by casting off cost to other areas. |
| 0:16.0 | When my dad and I operated this farm to my dad, and then I operated this farm industrially. |
| 0:21.8 | That organic model went from whatever it was, probably five, six, seven, down to a half. |
| 0:28.2 | And that had a cost. |
| 0:29.5 | That wasn't a direct cost. |
| 0:30.9 | Right. |
| 0:31.5 | But there still was a cost. |
| 0:33.0 | I see what you're... |
| 0:33.3 | You know, all the chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers that we put out here, and my neighbor's |
| 0:39.9 | put out, we get 50-something inches of rain. |
| 0:42.3 | It goes into the groundwater, into the flowing water, to the Gulf of Mexico, from |
| 0:50.2 | doubles branch to Spring Creek, to the Chattahoo River to Gulf of Mexico. |
| 0:56.7 | And there's a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that's bigger than the state of Massachusetts. |
| 1:01.3 | And it used to be a thriving, oistering ground. |
| 1:04.9 | They don't oyster the animal. |
| 1:06.5 | And it's because it's a dead spot because we killed it. |
| 1:10.2 | Now, that's a cost. |
| 1:11.6 | Yeah. |
| 1:12.0 | But those of us who incurred that cost won't pay for it. |
... |
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