Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Anna Meyer, Senior Analyst with Directions Group, unpack the dramatic shifts in consumer behavior reshaping agricultural markets. Megan opens with the November WASDE release following the government shutdown, plus analysis of the Fed's second consecutive rate cut despite inflation remaining above the 2% target. Anna reveals why consumers feel financially stressed despite positive GDP growth. Learn how the protein craze has reached fever pitch with 71% of consumers actively trying to increase protein intake, fueled by social media influencers like Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia recommending triple the FDA's daily protein guidelines. The episode covers cottage cheese's unprecedented comeback as manufacturers struggle to meet demand, how Gen Z prioritizes discretionary spending over groceries through "affordable affluence," why food away from home now captures 58.9% of total food spending, and how the Make America Healthy Again movement is driving demand for whole milk and regenerative agricultural practices for personal health reasons rather than environmental sustainability. Anna explains why dairy has emerged as the big winner from protein trends, what the trade-down hierarchy means for livestock producers, and why marketplace demands for soil health and nutrient certification will continue regardless of federal regulatory rollbacks.