Agriculture Secretary Announces $1.3 Million Through Cooperative Agreements With 1890 Institutions

News Release

Contact: Kevin Herglotz, (202) 720-4623
kevin.herglotz@usda.gov
Jim Brownlee, (202) 720-2091
jim.brownlee@usda.gov

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ANNOUNCES $1.3 MILLION THROUGH COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH 1890 INSTITUTIONS

WASHINGTON, August 29, 2001--Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the selection of nine 1890s Land Grant Institutions, Colleges, and Universities to receive $1.3 million in federal assistance as part of a cooperative agreement to provide outreach and technical assistance to underserved rural communities.

"USDA has a long tradition of working with 1890 Land Grant institutions to create a better way of life for many struggling rural communities," said Veneman. "Through the federal assistance announced today, we are re-affirming our commitment and resolve to bring greater prosperity to every American."

Prairie View A&M University, Tex. selected to receive $132,575 to create a business and economic development project to include: providing outreach education and technical assistance; youth entrepreneur education; and business information system network in an eight county area. Counties include: Bexar, Brazoria, Chambers, El Paso, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, and Waller.

University of Maryland-Eastern Shore selected to receive $150,000 to provide e-commerce and e-business information and technology for micro-businesses, cooperatives, micro-business associations and public bodies along the eastern shore of Maryland.

South Carolina State University selected to receive $150,000 to establish a Center for Entrepreneurialship & Rural Development. The center will serve individuals and small groups wishing to start or expand small businesses in rural South Carolina, and provide assistance in marketing analysis, development, operations finance, planning, and ethics.

University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff selected to receive $150,000 to continue expanding outreach and facilitating the development in largely disadvantaged areas of rural Arkansas. 32 counties are expected to be served through this project effort.

Tuskegee University, Ala. selected to receive $150,000 to provide business and economic development training and technical assistance, increase access to business and economic information, and assist with strategic planning and resource development in the following areas of Alabama: Sumter/Greene EC, Uniontown in Perry County, Lowndes Champion Community, Wilcox County, and Macon County Champion Community.

Delaware State University selected to receive $150,000 to create an entrepreneurialship center with emphasis on business development in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties in Maryland.

Southern University & A&M College, La. selected to receive $150,000 to provide training in housing, computers, entrepreneurship, and provide management and technical assistance to entrepreneurs and community leaders in seven rural parishes of Louisiana. Counties include: West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee, Iberville, St. Lelena, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, and East Baton Rouge.

Langston University, Okla. selected to receive $142,098 to combine elements of the Langston University Outreach Program, the Small Business Development Center and the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies to focus on developing programs that will produce future entrepreneurs and businesses in seven counties of Oklahoma. Counties include: Carter, Logan, McIntosh, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Muskogee, and Wagoner.

North Carolina A & T State University selected to receive $125,929 to provide technical, loan packaging, and information assistance to businesses and small and minority farmers in the counties of Halifax, Northampton, Edgecombe, and Wilson.

The funds will be available to the nine recipients upon signing of a cooperative agreement on how the funds will be administered. Completion of the cooperative agreements are anticipated by September 30, 2001. Assistance to Fort Valley State University, Ga., and Alcorn State University, Miss., was announced earlier this month.

In 1890, the second Morrill Act created historically black land-grant colleges and universities. This first Morrill Act, signed by President Lincoln in 1862, had no reference to race, which allowed southern states to deny access to minorities. To address this inequity, the 1890 Act provided that in certain states a land-grant institution would be established to train sons and daughters of farmers and working people, the institutions later to become known as "1890 institutions".

Through cooperative agreements, 1890 institutions receive USDA Rural Development funding to establish economic development programs for their neighboring communities. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency within USDA Rural Development, administers the 1890 funding.

USDA Rural Development serves as the lead federal entity for rural development needs, and administers program assistance through three agencies: Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service. Further information on USDA Rural Development can be obtained by contacting any USDA Service Center or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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