The McBride Sisters Collection Wines & Legacy House/Matador Spirits Donate $300,000 to the SU Ag Center and the College of Ag

Baton Rouge, La - The McBride Sisters Collection Wines SHE CAN Fund and the Matador Spirits and Legacy House Media presented checks to the Southern University Ag Center and the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences totaling $300,000 on November 25, 2022 during the Southern University System’s Board of Supervisors Meeting.

The McBride Sisters co-founder Robin McBride and Chief Impact Officer and SU alum, Agnes Uboma presented a $50,000 check as a continuation of their partnership with the Ag Center and the College of Ag. These funds will be used to develop an academy to support student research in viticulture and enology, continuing faculty development, the establishment of a concentration or minor in viticulture for SU students; the develop a bioprocessing facility that would be used for research development and wine-making; the creation of a Chancellor’s Research Apprentice Program with a track for viticulture; Junior MANRRS Club for students in grades 7–12; and a statewide Ag in the Classroom Curriculum for K-12 students.

The McBride Sisters Collection Wines SHE CAN Fund was established in 2019 and creates greater opportunities for women and people of color in the wine-making industry. Last year, the McBride Sisters presented funds to the Ag Center and the College for the purpose of research, career exploration and development, and other opportunities.

During the meeting, Matador Spirits and Legacy House Media also pledged $250,000 to the Center and the College. Through this new partnership, Matador will provide support for the creation of distilling and fermentation sciences, research crop sciences, and create youth development programming for K-12 students with the intention of cultivating an interest in Agriculture. Matador Spirits and Legacy House Media is Louisiana's first Black-Owned Sugarcane Vodka company.