Rising global economies, especially in developing countries, are leading to a surge in protein consumption. This shift is driven not only by the increasing purchasing power of consumers worldwide, but also by changing views on the role of protein in diets, said Illinois Corn Growers Association Board Member Rob Elliott.
“They’ve got a few dollars that they can buy our stuff,” said Elliott. “People are looking at protein a little bit differently—more positively than they have in the past. This whole GLP-1 medicine trend seems to be driving that. As much concern as we had about the RFK Jr. discussion, it’s actually probably come out okay when it comes to diet and the meat sector.”
With this increased demand, export markets are seeing roughly a 2 percent annual rise. These changes have been prominent in Southeast Asia, Latin America and North America.
“There are a lot of countries around the world that are demanding improvements in their diets, whether it’s protein or vegetable products—that’s a bright spot,” said Ron Moore, former American Soybean Association president.
“Two years ago, there was a speaker at one of the meetings I attended who talked about how disposable income in developing countries is increasing. And what do people do when they have more disposable income? They want a better diet.”
The increased demand for protein is also being driven by social media trends promoting healthier lifestyles. Research from Cargill found that in the United States, 61 percent of consumers have increased their protein intake since 2024.
More from the Spring Ag Roundtable: 2026 FS Spring Ag Roundtable Day 1 | Prairie Communications, LLC
