Have you ever considered what you choose to eat — or not eat — shapes not only your personal health, but also the food systems and agriculture around you?
Historically, the complexity of our food system — agriculture, food processing, technology, nutrition and healthcare — often have been viewed as separate entities, not as a whole system. But, that mindset is staring to change. With growing national attention on Food is Medicine programs and the rapid adoption of GLP-1 medications for weight loss, consumer food preferences are becoming a central topic — one that may reshape today’s agriculture and food production systems.
The Health Reality
Consumer preferences have always influenced what farmers, ranchers and growers produce. However, the current economic burden of chronic disease in the United States and beyond is creating new urgency to think differently about the connection between food and health. In the health and food and agriculture policy space, two topics seem to be driving much of the conversation: Food is Medicine and GLP-1 medications. One is gaining traction; the other is already entrenched and accelerating.
Food Is Medicine — or Food Is Health?
While both terms may be used interchangeably, I see the term “Food is Medicine” used most in produce prescription programs, while “Food is Health” is often used more broadly to describe the integration of food systems and health outcomes. Although the concept of food as medicine is centuries old, it has been more formally defined in recent years by organizations such as The Rockefeller Foundation, Tufts University, the American Heart Association, the Milken Institute and the Harvard Law School Center for Health Policy.
Food is Medicine programs are generally understood as healthcare-integrated community interventions to address individuals’ chronic diseases. These interventions may include medically tailored meals, groceries, produce prescriptions, nutrition education, and culinary education as part of a patient’s treatment plan. Fresh produce is often a central component of these programs.
Medically tailored meals and produce prescription programs are currently being piloted in several states, with related studies evaluating health outcomes. Early results have been positive, although enrollment remains small compared with the number of people living with diet-related chronic disease. The Rockefeller Foundation estimates if “Food is Medicine” programs were scaled to meet the needs of all 43 million Americans with diet related chronic disease, demand for healthy foods — particularly fruits and vegetables — could increase by an estimated $50.2 billion annually. This would create quite a change in our current system!
Both terms also are used to describe broader local food purchasing efforts, such as connecting hospitals and healthcare systems with regional farmers and food producers. For example, in my state, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is working with the state’s hospital association, the University of Kentucky Food as Health Alliance, and other partners to increase access to fresh, locally produced food within healthcare systems. As Food is Medicine and Food is Health programs continue to grow, new markets and opportunities for crop diversification may also grow, especially in the fruit and vegetable production.
The GLP-1 Effect
While Food is Medicine initiatives are gaining traction, the impact of GLP-1 medications is already being felt. A 2025 Gallup survey reported that more than 12% of respondents were using a GLP-1 medication. If that survey reflects the broader U.S. population, roughly one in eight Americans is using these medications. The market is projected to reach $100 billion by 2030, approximately doubling its 2024 size.
Why the rapid growth? Weight and documented reduction of obesity rates are evident. GLP-1 drugs slow stomach emptying and affects areas of the brain that trigger hunger due to increased insulin production and reduction of blood sugar level. This effect decreases overall food consumption yet increases the need for nutrient rich foods.
Recent studies have shown within the first six months of starting a GLP-1 medication, households reduce grocery spending by over 5% and 8% for high income households. The recent 2026 Consumer Curiosity Report released by Curious Plot, shows that GLP-1s are having an impact on what “early food adopters” are putting in their food carts, with or without a prescription.
Recent agriculture economic studies by Michigan State Extension, Arkansas, Purdue and Oklahoma State confirm that the reduction in food consumption eventually will impact the farmgate. While the protein demand is real, the trickle-down effect of overall reduced food intake (especially processed foods) may result in lower commodity prices. According to the Michigan State study, corn, soybeans, sugar and perhaps potatoes are projected to be the most threatened by the increased use of GLP-1s. Add Michigan link Animal protein and dairy will continue to have a “place on the plate” but decline in overall intake is projected. As with Food is Medicine programs, specialty crop growers are projected to benefit as consumer are seeking foods packed with nutrients, fiber and less calories.
Be at the Same Table
The changing consumer plate is no longer a distant possibility; it is already taking shape, and it carries significant implications for the health of our nation and the future of agricultural production. As food choices shift in response to Food is Medicine initiatives and GLP-1 medications, so should our conversations.
Now is the time for all of us across the food continuum — farmers, ranchers, growers, processors, healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, community partners and consumers — to come to the same table. When we come together to listen, ask questions and seek solutions, practical strategies that strengthen public health while supporting resilient agricultural and food production systems can be created.
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow stated, “A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years mere study of books.”
Resources:
- The Rockefeller Foundation. From Farm to FIM: The Economic Impact of Local Food is Medicine, March 2026
- Knudson, Bill. The Impact of GLP-1 Drugs on the Agri-Food System, May 21, 2026
- Curious Plot. The Consumer Curiosity Report 2026
Note: This blog is adapted from a post written originally for Women In Agriculture.