About the Agricultural Experiment Station

The strongest identifying characteristics of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore are that it is a Historically Black Institution and also an 1890 Land-Grant Institution. The eighteen 1890 institutions (formally called the 1890 Land-Grant Universities and Tuskegee University) share a common heritage through the 1890 Morrill Land-Grant Act, federal legislation and the common mission “to produce graduates who are leaders in and contribute to their communities, the nation, and the world; and to provide teaching, research and extension and public service through collaborative efforts, which improve the standard of living and quality of life of diverse populations, including limited-resource persons.”

SANS is unique among the UMES academic schools in that the food and agricultural research programs receive annual federal formula funding through provisions of Public Law 89-106. The funding is identified as the Evan-Allen Program under Section 1445 of the Farm Bill (PL95-113) and is appropriated to our campus by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Because of these annual appropriations, the research agenda and goals of the Departments of Agriculture and Human Ecology are aligned with those of the USDA and the Experiment Station Section (ESS) of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). The framework of the Agriculture Experiment Station is linked to the strategic goals identified by the USDA’s Research, Education and Economics (REE) mission area, the Cooperative State Research Extension Education Service (CSREES) and the State Agriculture Experiment Station (SAES) System.

Specific high priority research areas identified by ESS contribute to the goals of CSREES/USDA (see below) and contribute to the seven challenges identified in the ESS Science Roadmap. The aim of the Agricultural Experiment Stations is to provide enhanced knowledge and technology to improve the viability and sustainability of agriculture and food systems; enhance the quality of natural resources and the environment; and serve communities, families, and consumers.

CSREES/USDA Goals
- Increase economic opportunities in agriculture and natural resources.
- Improve human nutrition and health.
- Support rural and urban community development.
- Protect America’s natural resource base and environment.
- Enhance safety and security of U.S. agriculture and food supply.
- Ensure family, youth, and community success.

The 1890 land-grant institutions coordinate research initiatives among member institutions in cooperation with federal, state and private partners. We also cooperate with other appropriate regional and national committees and organizations in developing legislation affecting the food and agricultural research and educational needs of the nation.” This federal-state partnership in agricultural research has proven to be an invaluable coalition and the 1890 institutions have created a shared vision and values that empower each to become an essential part of the greater whole.