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This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) added a note to its website<\/a> stating that the 1890 Scholars Program \u201chas been suspended pending further review.\u201d The agency has been reviewing its programs<\/a> to determine if they violate President Trump\u2019s executive order ending what he deems \u201cDEI policies<\/a>,\u201d or those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.<\/p>\n 1890 Land-Grant Institutions are historically Black colleges and universities that focus on agricultural education. They were created<\/a> by segregated states after the second Morrill Act made funding for land-grants available only to states that allowed students of all races to access admissions.<\/p>\n The scholarships, which started in 1992, \u201care intended to encourage outstanding students at 1890 institutions to pursue and complete baccalaureate degrees in the food and agricultural sciences and related fields that would lead to a highly skilled food and agricultural systems workforce,\u201d according to the USDA\u2019s website.<\/p>\n Representative Alma Adams (D-North Carolina) released a statement calling for USDA to immediately reinstate the program. \u201cThis is a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible for everybody, and provides opportunities for students to work at USDA, especially in the critical fields of food safety, agriculture, and natural resources that Americans rely on every single day,\u201d she said. (Link to this post<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n