JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Reps. Joshua Peters, D-St. Louis, and Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, today succeeded in securing an additional $1 million for Lincoln University, the state’s historically black university founded in 1866. The amendment to House Bill 2003 adding the funding was sponsored by Barnes and approved by the full House of Representatives.
Under the 1890 Land Grant Act, the state can match up to nearly $7 million to receive a like amount of federal funds to advance agricultural research and extension. For the current fiscal year, however, the state has appropriated just $1.4 million in matching funds for Lincoln, leaving a shortfall of about $5.6 million.
The latest funding bump for Lincoln brings the total increase in land-grant funding lawmakers have added for the school this year to $1.5 million.
“Lincoln University was founded by African American veterans of the Civil War who pooled their money to bring the benefits of higher education to others,” said Peters, a Lincoln alum. “It is deserving of additional state funding to carry on that mission. I applaud Representative Barnes for taking pride in this great institution in his district. I also thank those members from both sides of the aisle who voted to restore a $1 million to public higher education in Missouri.”
Barnes, whose legislative district includes Lincoln, noted that agriculture is Missouri’s No. 1 industry and that the research conducted by the university will help make the industry stronger.
“This amendment brings Lincoln’s ag research program closer to where it should be,” Barnes said. “Lincoln does great work in this area and I am grateful that the Missouri House chose to increase its funding.”
