Southern University is recognized as an 1890 land-grant institution. The second Morrill Act of 1890, a federal enactment, bestowed this privilege on the institution for providing the further endowment and support of agricultural and mechanic arts programs. Support for research at 1890 institutions began in 1967 as a result of a request from President Lyndon B. Johnson to Congress. In response, the USDA proposed to Congress that 1890 institutions receive subsidies to foster the development of agricultural sciences expertise. Congress concurred with the proposal to use grant authority beginning in fiscal year 1967 to provide support for research programs at 1890 land-grant institutions.

   Until 2001, the agricultural research program was administered through the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences on the Southern University, Baton Rouge campus. In July 2001, the agricultural research program was relocated to the newly established SU Agricultural Research and Extension Center, the fifth campus of the Southern University and A&M College System. Both federal (Public Law 89-106 and Public Law 95-113) and state funds are provided in support of the agricultural research program.

  Currently, the agricultural research program is organized around four research program areas which embrace four of the five USDA National goals. Some on-going research focus areas are:

(1) value-added product development,
(2) alternative small farm enterprise development,
(3) use of agricultural by- products,
(4) nutrition and consumer sciences issues, and
(5) urban forestry and natural resources.