The 1860s were a tumultuous time in U.S. history. The country was fractured by The Civil War while technological advances and industrialization fundamentally changed demographics as people moved from rural to urban areas. Universities at the time were largely private and characterized by the classic “Ivory Tower” image – learned men teaching the classics to an elite upper class.
In all this turmoil, Vermont’s own Senator, Justin Morrill, proposed a transformative idea – the notion that every state should have a public institution “accessible to all” and “where agriculture, the foundation of all present and future prosperity,” and the mechanical arts (engineering) could be studied. Morrill’s advocacy led to the creation of Land-Grant Universities through a series of legislative actions. Further legislative action institutionalized research and Extension into the Land-Grant mission, primarily with an emphasis on supporting agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.
As with many historic events, we can look back and find numerous problems, including the inequitable funding distribution across types of Land-Grant Universities and the problematic source of initial funding. Here, however, I want to focus on the lasting and positive legacy of the Land-Grant concept in the state of Vermont, especially in terms of agriculture while recognizing that the legacy extends well beyond agriculture.
When we think about the Vermont brand, agriculture is one of the first things we think about. This agricultural system has been and is supported by farmers and other professionals educated at the University of Vermont and through the research conducted and extended by the university. Prior to the Morrill Act, UVM was a private university and there was a surprising amount of drama involved in selecting and keeping the University of Vermont (then a private institution) as the state’s Land Grant in the 1800s. In part, this necessitated a name change to “The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College” although the establishment of an actual College of Agriculture didn’t happen until 1900.
From the days when students learned about the latest agricultural trends while taking notes with a fountain pen and Extension educators spoke to farmers from train carriages about new varieties of crops and how to control pests, we have come a long way. Yet the Land-Grant mission is as needed today as it ever was. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Vermont, in partnership with other units on campus, has helped Vermont agriculture navigate many challenges over the years, including changing technologies, shifting crop viability, and societal challenges like the Great Depression and the Cold War. The University has helped both multi-generation Vermonters and newcomers learn how to best work with the land in sustainable and resilient ways.
Here at the University and in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the real-life challenges of farming and community development are woven into our coursework and students are trained to tackle current and future problems from cells to society. We are conducting research on the use of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture, studying best practices for managing sugarbushes for long-term ecosystem viability and sap yield, developing crops that are resilient to extreme weather conditions, and ensuring food safety in an era of increasing threats. As a trusted institution, we are working in partnership with farmers and communities on flood mitigation, sustaining financially viable farming operations, and educating and enhancing the lives of Vermont youth through 4-H and other Extension programming. And so much more!
In this modern era defined by a fractured country, rapid technological advances, and demographic changes, the vision of Senator Morrill is needed now more than ever. This Land-Grant University will continue educating students from Vermont and around the globe while working to collaboratively address new and emerging challenges that ensure food security and healthy communities.
Sources:
Albee, Roger. 2025 “Turning the Soil: 250 Years of Vermont Agriculture”. White River Press.
Sinclair, Robert O. 1991. “Agricultural Education and Extension in Vermont” in The University of Vermont: The First two Hundred Years. University of Vermont.
UVM Extension. 2012. “100 Years of UVM Extension: 1913-2013.”
