USDA/1890 Task Force Release No. 0239.99 Remarks As Prepared for Delivery by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman USDA/1890 Task Force Dover, Delaware June 2, 1999 "Thank you very much, Dr. DeLauder, for that kind introduction. It's a great honor to be here and to meet with this task force, whose work is so important to the continued strong partnership between the Department of Agriculture and the 1890 institutions. "I want to salute Delaware State and all of our 1890 schools for over a century of leadership in agricultural education. The knowledge and skills you have developed have helped make American agriculture what it is -- an economic engine for the nation, as well as an indelible part of American culture and tradition. "Of course, the 1890s, in addition to the practical role they've played, have also been equal opportunity pioneers, reaching out to underserved populations, empowering people with education and helping them become productive citizens. At the same time that you've built laboratories of innovation, you've been practitioners of social justice. "The land-grant system has been with us for so long that it's easy to forget what a revolutionary concept it was when Justin Smith Morrill laid out his vision in the mid-19th century. Until then, education had been the exclusive province of the elite classes. Land-grants had a democratizing effect, introducing the notion that all Americans -- regardless of their means -- should have the opportunity to learn and apply practical skills for the betterment of themselves, their families and their communities. "The land-grants also introduced the notion of service and extension as key elements of education. Education for education's sake isn't enough. Knowledge, research and expertise ought not to be hoarded inside the ivory tower...but shared with the community at-large and put to use to address the needs of the society. "Over a hundred years later, you remain true to your original mandate. And USDA stands side-by-side with you, as a strong partner and enthusiastic champion. "In fiscal year 1998, USDA invested over $96 million in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, almost all of it in the 1890s. That's 10 percent of all USDA support for colleges and universities -- an impressive figure when you consider the entire universe of higher education that's out there. We are putting our money where our mouth is. We believe in the 1890s' unique role in American education. "In the last decade or so, we've taken the USDA-1890 partnership to a new level. Beyond the congressionally mandated programs administered by our Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, all of our agencies are beginning to engage the 1890s, tapping into their unique resources and investing in them out of their operating budgets. This task force has played a major role in building this invigorated partnership between USDA and the 1890s. Out of the task force, for example, was born the Campus Liaison Officers Program, which gives USDA a full-time presence at all of the 1890s. "In 1993, thanks to the task force, we launched the National Scholars Program, which provides full, four-year scholarships for students at the 1890s and guaranteed USDA employment upon their graduation. "The USDA/1890 Task Force also created the Centers for Excellence, which have been one of my priorities as Secretary of Agriculture. These centers bring USDA resources and experts directly to the 1890 schools, with state-of- the-art facilities in forestry, horticulture, food safety, water quality and more. Right after this lunch, I will formally dedicate the Center of Excellence for Aquaculture Research here at Delaware State. "And while I'm talking about building dedications, I want to make a very special announcement. In Beltsville, Maryland, USDA recently finished construction of a brand-new, $57 million facility, which houses over a thousand USDA personnel from nine different agencies. It is the second largest USDA site in the Washington, DC area. "Today, I'm announcing that it will be renamed the George Washington Carver Complex, in recognition of the extraordinary contribution he made to agricultural innovation and American life. In fact, if you just run down the list of some of Carver's inventions peanut butter, adhesives, chili sauce, mayonnaise, shaving cream, and so on I think that's just about everything you could want in life. One thing's for sure, without peanut butter, there would have been a lot of empty lunchboxes over the years, and I'm not sure what my kids would've eaten throughout their grade school years. "I've talked mostly today about what we at USDA do for you at the 1890s. But I think it's important to remember that ours is a symbiotic relationship...a partnership of mutual benefit. You support our mission just as much as we support yours. You are a resource for us just as much as we are a resource for you. We invest in your students and your campuses. And that investment brings a pretty high return. "By graduating skilled professionals, by molding human capital, you are developing the leaders who will keep American agriculture competitive in the future. Your extension efforts enable you to reach audiences that we couldn't otherwise access. Your international programs are helping build up the overseas markets that will be American agriculture's commercial partners in the 21st century. And you are also an invaluable resource to us as we try to put part of our past behind us at USDA and establish ourselves as the federal government's civil rights leader. "I am confident that you will continue to support our mission in the years to come. There's no question that a lot has changed since your schools were founded. But by no means have the 1890s become obsolete. As we prepare for a new century, the 1890s will be more than relevant; they will remain a critical resource as we build an agricultural sector that is productive, profitable and inclusive. "We have a growing world to feed, and we're going to have to do it in a way that is environmentally sustainable...in a way that doesn't compromise exacting food safety standards... in a way that is responsive to shifting consumer demand. And we need the resources and expertise of the 1890s to meet that considerable challenge. "Agriculture is becoming more knowledge-based, more specialized, more technologically sophisticated. And we need the 1890s to help ensure that the modern tools of agriculture are not concentrated solely in the hands of a few large operations and agribusinesses, but available for the smallest farmers to use and profit from. "The American small farm has become increasingly endangered. We need the 1890s to help us preserve the small farm tradition that has been the embodiment of American values and has so much to offer American agriculture in the new millennium. "The 1890s will remain one of USDA's most indispensable partners in the future. The term "1890 institutions", it should be remembered, refers only to the year of the law that led to their founding. We use the term still today out of respect for your schools' rich history. But no one should mistake it for a statement about antiquated methods or techniques. It says nothing about their approach or their perspective. These are indeed, in every way, 21st century institutions. "And at USDA, that's exactly what we need them to be, as we call on them to help us meet the agricultural challenges of tomorrow. Thank you very much." # # #