USDA Suspends 1890 National Scholars Program, Raising Concerns

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended its 1890 National Scholars Program a continuing program, for students enrollment in schools historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), from being carried out. Coordinated, since 1992, this program supports the career goals of undergraduate majors in agriculture, food, and natural resource science by providing financial assistance and covered paid internships and career advancement into the USDA.

This unexpected disturbance has also received fire from a segment of teachers and lawmakers, who complain it has been detrimental to the attempt to achieve educational equity and release of underrepresented populations. Representative Alma Adams (N.C., chair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus, expressed disappointment, and pointed out the detrimental impact the program has on students, whose studies and future careers rely both on the program.

The USDA has not published any explanation to date released a reason why the program should have a timeframe by which it will be reinstated. The level of uncertainty of what its future will be means there are deeply serious questions about, among other things, the loss of financial and professional opportunity for undergraduate students studying at those colleges and universities, and more broadly, the loss of the capacity to make an impact, as that relates to the diversification of the agricultural labor force.