Article
Be ready for shifts in food demand due to new U.S. dietary guidelines
Jan. 20, 2026 · Authored by Ashley Jacobsen
The federal government has rolled out a major reset of U.S. nutrition policy through the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This guidance informs consumer messaging, school meals, SNAP, and other federal food programs — and it can influence long-term market demand.
The 10-page document opens with the message “eat real food” and emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods and de-emphasizes added sugars and ultra-processed products.
What this means for farmers
While these guidelines don’t change farm policy or purchasing overnight, they can affect pricing, production decisions, and long-term planning.
1. Protein is a priority
The new guidelines emphasize protein at every meal. This could increase demand for animal sources such as livestock, seafood, eggs, dairy, and crops such as beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy.
This could also support stronger demand for feed inputs tied to animal agriculture, and influence expansion or reinvestment decisions for protein-focused operations.
2. Full-fat dairy gets federal support
The new guidance explicitly supports full-fat dairy as part of a healthy diet. This could affect milk utilization and product mix. It could also influence school meals, and federal programs often follow these guidelines over time.
Long-term pricing and contract structures could shift as standards update.
3. Whole vegetables and fruits take center stage
Fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and minimally processed foods are prioritized. This could lead to demand growth for produce and whole-grain crops.
The guidelines recommend against refined ingredients and heavily processed inputs.
4. Added sugars and highly processed foods discouraged
The document includes strong language recommending against added sugars and ultra-processed foods.
This could affect the demand for sweeteners and refined carbohydrate inputs, and indirectly affect crop mix decisions tied to processed food supply chains.
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