Agriculture Secretary Rollins told an audience at Ohio’s Country Journal that the Department of Agriculture will deploy $285 million on Oct. 2 to jump-start international market-building activities under a new America First Trade Promotion Program, using agency funds repurposed ahead of the formal start date established by the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill. The statute, Rollins noted, authorizes an additional $285 million annually for agricultural trade promotion beginning in fiscal 2026; USDA officials said they would accelerate those resources to help producers pursue export opportunities immediately.

“We cannot wait when markets are shifting and when farmers and ranchers need access to buyers abroad,” Rollins said, framing the decision as a pragmatic response to global competition. “By launching this program now, we are sending a clear signal that American agriculture stands ready to expand overseas.”

USDA described the funds as intended for trade promotion and facilitation activities — trade missions, market development, and promotional campaigns — aimed at opening markets for commodities and value-added products. Agency officials emphasized the choice of the program name as reflecting a priority to bolster domestic producers in international commerce.

The move underscores a tension at the intersection of executive initiative and congressional prerogative. Because the additional $285 million per year does not officially kick in until 2026 under the congressional law, USDA’s repurposing of existing appropriations to front-load spending will prompt scrutiny from lawmakers and watchdogs about agency authority and whether the reallocation aligns with congressional intent.

A senior congressional aide on the House Agriculture Committee, speaking on background, said members would seek briefings and documentation about the legal basis for the reprogramming. “Lawmakers appropriated funding with a specific timeline,” the aide said. “We need to understand how the Department is exercising its authorities to shift dollars ahead of that timeline.”

Republican lawmakers in several farm states have been skeptical of administrative reprogramming in the past, arguing that such moves can bypass the appropriations process. Supporters of the accelerated funding, including some state commodity groups, welcomed the immediate infusion. An Ohio Farm Bureau spokeswoman said the association appreciated “additional resources devoted to market access” but urged transparency on how the funds will be allocated among commodities and regions.

Policy analysts note practical benefits for exporters pressing into new markets amid geopolitical uncertainty and supply-chain disruptions. Even so, the decision is likely to carry political freight in 2026, when voters in agriculturally important states will weigh trade outcomes, commodity prices and rural economic signals. The “America First” branding on a trade initiative may also sharpen partisan debate, given its broader political connotations.

The administration argues that expanding exports will generate jobs and higher farm incomes across rural America. Critics caution that front-loading funding could set precedents for future executive actions that alter the timing or intent of congressional appropriations. For farmers and agribusinesses, the immediate question is operational: which commodities and supply chains will be prioritized, and how quickly will promotional activities translate into sales.

USDA officials said detailed program guidelines and allocation plans will be released ahead of the Oct. 2 launch. For now, Rollins’s announcement offers producers an early promise of federal support for overseas markets while opening a policy conversation about institutional authority, congressional oversight and the balance between expedient action and legislative prerogatives.