WASHINGTON, D.C. — Will the resurgence in demand for protein-based diets persist if Republicans suffer political losses in midterms or if there is a change of party in the White House in 2028? These questions were posed during Agri-Pulse’s recent Ag & Food Policy Summit in Washington, where Lydia Johnson, associate editor for Agri-Pulse, moderated a panel focusing on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)-led resurgence in the demand for proteins.

“Protein is more than a buzzword right now,” said Johnson, setting the stage for a discussion of what a MAHA-aligned food system might look like in the future along with challenges to its continuation beyond the Trump administration. Getting started, Misty High of Cargill discussed changes in trends in “protein profiles,” or the dietary habits of Americans based on surveys conducted by the company. She reported that in 2025, 51 percent of respondents indicated they would strive to increase their protein consumption in the coming year.

“What we’re seeing is that 94 percent of people say protein is very important,” said High. 

Jeff Simmons of Elanco noted that he has seen a change in perception over proteins in the past three years, with consumers demanding more protein and new dietary guidelines issued by the United States Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) supporting the trend. Market share growth for proteins has increased not just due to population growth, Simmons said, but also directly due to consumer choice. 

“Buckle up,” he said. “This (market growth) is for real and is becoming really big.”

Dairy is benefiting from increased sales, particularly in whole milk and eggs, which Danone’s Ariel Dalton said is due in part to the MAHA movement. “At (food and beverage company) Danone we are consumer-led and science-backed, so we pay really close attention to what consumers are asking for, how nutrition needs are evolving and ultimately where the real demand in the marketplace exists,” she said.

“I think GLP-1s (weight loss drugs) are accelerating and shifting towards nutrient density per bite. As consumers and GLP-1 users are eating less they are prioritizing high proteins and fibers. As these consumers are spending less in some of these calorie-dense categories, ironically they are spending more in areas like fresh produce, eggs, yogurts — specifically Greek yogurt — and cottage cheese.”

The MAHA movement presents “a real moment” for dairy and yogurts, according to Dalton. “As we think about the role that yogurt and dairy can play, it can serve as an accessible high-protein part of the diet,” she said.

Emily Metz of the American Egg Board said the “pendulum has swung the other way” on egg prices in the last year, making them a more affordable protein option than during the height of the avian influenza outbreak of 2022, which sent egg prices soaring at retail for much of the ensuing two years. “We’ve seen prices come back down, and as a result we are really telling people now is the time to pick up another dozen eggs,” Metz said. “We’re looking at how to generate innovation in the egg space; how can we innovate in terms of convenience in the way that dairy has. We’re looking at how we can deliver eggs in different ways, in terms of portable packaging (and) smaller packaging.”

As industry and commodity groups align their strategies with MAHA, the question of the staying power of the DHS-led Make America Healthy Again campaign was touched on by the panelists. 

“Investment money is coming into this opportunity. Money is leaving other food segments and the innovation pipeline for protein, we can all agree, is like we’ve never seen,” said Simmons. 

Other drivers expected to maintain demand for high protein foods include a major food industry pivot towards protein-enhanced products that is expected to continue, an institutional shift in school lunch programs and other federal food purchasing and the GLT-1 weight loss phenomenon.

This panel discussion and the entirety of the 2026 Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit has been archived for viewing at https://agri-pulse.swoogo.com/2026-dc-summit (free registration required).