An uncertain future for agricultural students at Black colleges after Trump cuts: ‘a clear attack’ | Black farmers

DMarcus Bernard was shocked when she learned last week that the United States agriculture (The US Department of Agriculture) The National Scientists Program for the year 1890, which finances university students in agriculture or related fields in about 20 historically historical colleges and universities (HBCUS).

Bernard is the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources in one of these institutions, Kentucky State University. In Kentucky, nearly 40 scientists have joined since the beginning of the project in 1992. At the country level, the program supported more than 800 studentsand According to the US Department of Agriculture.

The 1890 scholarships have established pipeline for rural students and non -representatives to follow up studies in areas such as animal science, plant science, gardening, nutrition and forests. After graduation, they were placed on the sites of the US Department of Agriculture throughout the country.

Program comment news – I explain in one sentence that sat shortly on top US Department of Agriculture page for the program A wave of inquiries in Kentucky was ignited. Bernard said that the university was notified that the chosen for scholarships will not be funded in the fall of 2025. Without federal funds, Kentucky could not pay the price of students ’education or continue to grant current students.

Bernard, students and families worried about some comfort on Monday when the program was reopened – a note change on the site. He said that the scholarship applications, which are submitted, will be accepted for full horse riding to the institutions created from federal lands, until March 15.

However, the future of the grant is still unclear as a lot of funding that supports student research and field work has been stopped.

The representative of the US Department of Agriculture, who asked not to be identified, said that the reopening of the scholarship program does not necessarily mean that it will be funded. The newly reopened official was “perhaps something that satisfies the audience from all the fires that lit last week.”

This step to suspend scholarships has sparked criticism from various sources, including the 1890 Foundation, the Research Manager Association for the year 1890 and the Association of Universities Granting Public Lands. In a statement, the actor Alma Adams in North Carolina described the comment as “a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible to all, and provides opportunities for students to work in the US Department of Agriculture, especially in the critical areas of food and agriculture safety and natural resources that Americans depend on every day. This program is a correction of a long history of racial discrimination within the land grant system, not an example. I ask the US Department of Agriculture immediately Cancel this targeted suspension, spirit and medium spirit and re -program for scholars for the year 1890. “

Participating universities were established as part of the Morel II Law, which in 1890 gave federal lands to establish historical black colleges specialized in agricultural and vocational education.

Graduates speak

Alvin Lumpkin was a researcher at the South Carolina State University in 1890 graduated in 2012. Karadi began, but he turned during his second year to study family studies and consumers within the framework of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Then it became eligible to participate in the 1890 program.

While he had different experiences as a scientist, one of his unforgettable experiences was a student extinguishing man. Land Scholarship Corporation 1890 Wildland Institute Fire extinguishing Students from all over the universities of granting lands were paid to obtain basic training skills to combat fire and placed in small cities throughout the south. “It was students from Alcorn [State University]Fort Valley [State University]South Carolina [State University]And we all went to [Florida A&M University]. “It was just something beautiful for people to meet from all different fields of study and train together,” said Lumkin.

Lumpkin worked for a month with the National Forest Department in the Mount Rogers National Entertainment Region. Earn skills in taking water and treatment; Rescue efforts; Burns, the strategic field, the indigenous population exercise of controlled and deliberate fire. “We were on the wheels of four wheels and two sides of the mountain to burn the vegetation so that when lightning strikes, this will not cause a fire,” said Lombin.

For Kermet Chocolate, he expanded his being a researcher in 1890 in Florida A and M Understanding what was possible for him. As an engineering pioneer, he prepared paths and bridges across the Apalashian path during the summer. Besides Lumpkin, learn how to apply stones, clear paths, first aid management and patrols in the forest to serve as the first eyes to enforce law.

Lumpkin and Shockley responded to natural disasters like 2010 Deepwateer Horizon Oil SpillThe largest leakage based on a maritime -based on history. “It was not” standing and watching. “Chocolate said:” He was “let me show you, make your mistakes, and allow me to teach you.” with The last collective termination Among the thousands of national forest services and national park workers, 1890 researchers may adopt again to help fill the gaps.

Both men went to public service jobs. After graduation, chocolate went to work in the Ministry of Defense at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, buildings used to enrich uranium during World War II. Lombin was exposed to law enforcement as a scientist in 1890 to become an officer in the Ministry of Justice in South Carolina. He is now an assistant director at Sumter, South Carolina, the educational zone.

Tamulization effect

Lumpkin emphasized that the influence on the larger ecosystems of 1890 will be deep. “There are many programs that will be affected by the absence of 1890 researchers who have research in these societies,” he said.

Other educational programs were affected by discounts. He through 19 universities of land grants, agricultural grants and urban agriculture from the National Science Corporation (NSF) and financing for financing training on the workforce from the next generation of the Ministry of Agricultural Agricultural (Nextgen). “All of this will be affected until it is done, so there is no grant or even we know whether the grants will be completely cut.”

Regardless of the scholarship program, Kentucky is wrestling with another great loss. Last month, the university was awarded My research grant worth $ 1.2 million From the 1890 Foundation with financing through the national forest service to launch a comprehensive project to increase the umbrella of trees throughout Louisville to reduce the effects of heat stress in urban areas. It also prompted the university financing to launch a strong program for attendance. Last week, the university was officially notified that the grant had been terminated.

Bernard said: “We are hurting the program of the National Scientists for the year 1890 that will harm Kentucky and the largest southern region, where most land universities are found. Bernard said:” We are in societies all over the state, programs that help farmers, help our rural societies, and provide assistance to caliber victims and more. “