Partnerships

Integral to the CSREES mission is the notion of partnerships. Our partners include other federal agencies, private organizations, and—chiefly—the Land-Grant University System.

CSREES is the federal partner in a vast network of thousands of scientists, educators, and extension staff and volunteers, who carry out its programs throughout the United States and its territories, and beyond. Most of these partners work at or through land-grant universities. There are one or more such institutions in each U.S. state and territory and in the District of Columbia.

Starting in 1862, the Federal Government granted federally owned land (hence the name “land-grant”) to each state for the development of a university that would serve the citizens of the state in the areas of research, education, and extension.

Other land-grant universities were designated in 1890 (historically African-American institutions) and in 1994 (Native American institutions).

While nearly all universities have research and education as their core responsibilities, land-grant universities also have a Federal Government-mandated extension (outreach) responsibility. This means they are directed by law to offer to the public noncredit, tax-supported educational programs and information based on the results of university research.

The wide-ranging CSREES land-grant partnership includes:

More than 130 colleges of agriculture
59 agricultural experiment stations
57 cooperative extension services
63 schools of forestry
Tuskegee University, West Virginia State College, and the other 16 historically black colleges and universities
27 colleges of veterinary medicine
42 schools and colleges of family and consumer sciences
33 Native American land-grant institutions
17 Alaskan native-serving and Hawaiian native-serving institutions
More than 160 Hispanic-serving institutions