The program is a major effort of the United States Department of Agriculture and the eighteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions, to award scholarships to students to attend one of the eighteen universities and study agriculture, food, or natural resource sciences.

Students must be US citizens with a GPA of 3.0 or better entering their freshman year.

The scholarship provides:

• Full tuition;
• Fees;
• Books;
• Room and board for each of the 4 Academic years.;
• Use of a laptop computer, printer, and software while on the scholarship;
• Employment with the USDA during the summer and after graduation;
• Employee benefits while employed with the USDA;

The eighteen Universities are:

• Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL
• Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS
• Delaware State University, Dover, DE
• Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL
• Fort Valley State University,
• Fort Valley, GA
• Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY
• Langston University, Langston, OK
• Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO
• North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, NC
• Prairie View A&M University,
• Prairie View, TX
• South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, SC
• Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA
• Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN
• Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
• University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, AR
• University of Maryland-Eastern Shore,
• Princess Anne, MD
• Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
• West Virginia State University,
• Institute, WV