A fundamental shift is underway in the U.S. food system, and it’s not driven by the usual suspects, like weather, trade, or traditional economics. Instead, it’s largely being driven by drugs and pharmaceuticals.

The rapid adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, along with a resurgence of people wanting to get healthier, is reshaping how Americans eat, and in turn, what farmers and ranchers produce.

GLP-1 drugs are the products you see advertised on TV all the time, such as Ozempic and Wegovy. These drugs claim to suppress appetite and significantly reduce caloric intake, often by 700 to 1,000 calories per day.

Usage of GLP-1 drugs has become common, and adoption is no longer niche. Roughly 12% or more of the U.S. population is using these medications, according to a 2025 study from KFF Health, and that number is expected to grow significantly in the coming years as the price of the drugs continues to fall.

Additionally, protein intake is being prioritized to preserve muscle mass and help curb your appetite, creating what some researchers call a “protein premium” in the marketplace. That change, combined with a shift in dietary guidance in recent years, has helped elevate protein from a supporting dietary role to a centerpiece.

Total food consumption is declining, but the demand for protein – particularly high-quality, nutrient-dense, animal-based protein – is rising. And that has impacts for agriculture.

What This Means for Farmers, Ranchers and Producers

Amid this change, beef, poultry, pork, eggs and dairy are all benefiting from increased protein prioritization. Even in the face of record-high prices for some products, demand has remained strong. For cattle producers in particular, tight supplies combined with strong demand have pushed prices higher, creating one of the more favorable profitability environments in decades. 

Beef is considered a “complete protein,” meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids the body cannot produce on its own. It’s hard to replicate. It’s natural and minimally processed. It supports muscle growth and repair, helps maintain strength as people age, aids recovery after exercise or physical labor, and helps people feel full longer. Simply put, it doesn’t get much better than beef when it comes to quality protein.

Pork has similar benefits. Interestingly, pork has changed dramatically over the past several years to meet consumer needs and preferences. Modern pork is now significantly leaner, especially in cuts like tenderloin and loin chops. It can be a great addition to a high-protein diet.

How about plant-based meat substitutes? Companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods attracted enormous interest several years ago, and at the time were promoted as the future of food and a replacement for traditional meat sources. That was then, this is now.

Between the difference in taste and texture, high price, and highly engineered and processed characteristics, plant-based substitutes have failed to gain market acceptance, and many are on life support financially. It’s hard to replicate natural meats like beef, pork and chicken. 

What’s interesting is that GLP-1 users appear to be less sensitive to price when purchasing protein-rich foods like beef or pork. That’s a significant shift. Historically, protein demand – especially beef – has been highly price elastic. But now, rather than eating a 12-ounce steak, for example, consumers will eat a high-quality 6-ounce steak – and pay the high price for it.

Looking Beyond Beef and Pork

Dairy has also been a big winner with these recent changes. Products like yogurt, whey protein and high-protein beverages are all seeing increased demand as consumers look for convenient protein sources.

Crop producers haven’t been completely left behind, either, as we’ve also seen a resurgence in pulses, such as peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas. These crops are increasingly being used as protein ingredients in food manufacturing.

This extends well beyond the farm gate into processing, where value-added protein products are commanding premiums and attracting investments. Just about every food product is trying to cash in on the protein craze. Protein Doritos, protein-infused popsicles, protein Cheerios – the list goes on.

Highly processed, calorie-dense foods – many of which rely heavily on agricultural commodities like corn, sugar and oils – are seeing reduced demand. Consumers on GLP-1s are cutting back on snacks, sweets and fast food, while shifting toward whole foods and nutrient-dense options.

That’s why I believe what we’re seeing isn’t just another diet trend, like the many we’ve seen over the years. Instead, GLP-1 medications represent a substantial, fundamental shift in consumer preferences. That ripple effect flows back to agriculture, impacting demand for ingredients tied to those products.

We should remember that agriculture has always been downstream from the consumer. But what’s different today is the speed and magnitude of change.

What Comes Next

All of this upside for protein and changing consumer behavior doesn’t come without some uncertainty and risk. GLP-1 adoption is still evolving, and its long-term impact on consumer behavior remains unclear. What happens if patients stop taking the drugs? Will protein demand remain elevated, or normalize? That is yet to be seen.

Farmers and ranchers may be making long-term capital decisions, land purchases, herd expansion or crop rotations based on signals that may still be in flux. But one thing is for sure – the winners in this environment will not simply be those who produce more, but those who produce what the consumer values most. And right now, that value is increasingly clear: protein.

This article was published in the Q2 2026 issue of our AgViews newsletter.