The term used to identify a public university in each state that was originally established as a land grant college of agriculture pursuant to the Morrill Act of 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.). In most states the original agricultural colleges grew over time into full-fledged public universities by adding other colleges (e.g., arts and sciences, medicine, law, etc.); in states where a public university existed prior to 1862, this first Morrill Act resulted in a college of agriculture being added to the university. USDA funds go only to the original land grant colleges of agriculture within the so-called land grant universities.
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