Released Nov. 1, 2007

WASHINGTON - USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service announced today more than $5 million in education grants to 20 Hispanic-serving institutions.

"These grants will strengthen the ability of these institutions to provide education programs that attract outstanding students pursuing careers in agricultural and food science related fields," said Gale Buchanan, USDA under secretary for Research, Education and Economics. "USDA is proud to support these institutions as they train graduates to go forward in the work of betterment in the nation's food, agricultural, scientific and professional workforce."

The Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Education grants program is on its 10th year of funding and it continues to make progress attracting under-represented students to various fields of agriculture. The program helps colleges and universities develop new curricula in agricultural sciences, expand the use of experiential learning and bolster student recruitment and retention. Some of these grants establish collaborations between two-year colleges and four-year institutions.

This year's HSI-funded projects will support ventures in food science nutrition, water quality, range and wildlife, veterinary sciences, environmental and biotechnology. They also support collaborations with USDA agencies that include Natural Resources Conservation Service, Forest Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Foreign Agriculture Service, Agricultural Research Service and the Farm Service Agency.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, an HSI is a nonprofit institution that has at least 25 percent Hispanic full-time equivalent enrollment. These 250 institutions are located in 12 states and Puerto Rico.

For a list of fiscal year 2007 grants, see http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2007news/hsi.html

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http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2007news/hsi.html

Contact: Jennifer Martin, (202) 720-8188