Bush ending land grants?

President Bush is, according to one source, eliminating the land grants that allow schools like my alma mater, Virginia Tech, to exist:

In a move that caught all 50 states by surprise, the Bush administration has proposed a federal budget that will end what has been called the “Land Grant Covenant” that has existed for nearly 150 years.

[…]

What the Land Grant Covenant has done for the nation cannot be underestimated. Because of this partnership, the nation has developed an abundance of inexpensive and healthy food, the ability to respond rapidly to emerging problems such as plant and animal diseases, and regional and national efforts to coordinate community development and agricultural development. It also has spawned research programs that allow the U.S. to continue as leaders in agricultural production and food safety, and established programs to share the information created at our universities with the people of the state.

Much of this is now at risk of being lost if the Land Grant Covenant is ended. The President’s budget, as proposed, would eliminate 100 percent of the federal funds designated for Agricultural Experiment Stations across the nation over a two-year period, beginning with the federal budget that starts in October 2005.

I can only assume that the impact on Virginia Tech would be devastating. I intend to contact them next week to ask about it.