The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a $262.5 million investment in institutions of higher education to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals across the nation.
“Each generation of agricultural professionals faces new challenges as we feed our world’s growing population, and the future generations give me hope that we will rise to the occasion to meet these challenges with opportunity,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We need to ensure our youth have the education and training they need to accelerate the development of an agricultural system that is climate-smart, sustainable, profitable and equitable.”
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s “From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Program” (NextGen) will enable eligible institutions, from New York to the Northern Mariana Islands, to build and sustain the next generation of food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences workforce.
The $262.5 million investment will provide training and support to more than 20,000 future food and agricultural leaders through 33 project partners.
Partners include the Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet, Minnesota, and the Fort Berthold Community College in New Town, North Dakota.
The NextGen program is also an important component of the Department’s and President Biden’s vision to Advance Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
USDA News Release
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