Our History
The Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 laid the foundation for public higher education in practical fields like agriculture. Kentucky responded by founding the Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1865—later becoming the University of Kentucky—after acquiring land from Henry Clay’s Ashland and J.B. Tilford’s estate.
In 1881, a state property tax funded the college’s Agricultural Department, and William Ashbrook Kellerman became its first full-time agriculture professor.
In 1885, UK made national headlines when President James K. Patterson appointed M.A. Scovell to lead the newly created Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station—preceding the federal Hatch Act. By 1886, the station regulated fertilizers, and over the next decades, its role grew to include seeds, food, feed and drugs.
Our college continues that legacy today by leading research, education and outreach that support Kentucky’s economy and environment. Guided by land-grant values—learning, discovery and engagement—we deliver programs that make a meaningful impact across the Commonwealth and beyond.
