Two sessions are planned for next week for the veterinary workforce. Register now to have input and help guide the Rural Veterinary Action Plan.
Last month, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the Rural Veterinary Action Plan, which will enhance the support available for rural veterinarians across the US. The plan includes the following action items:
- Improve Veterinary Grant Programs
- Better Understand the Rural Veterinary Shortage
- Recruit and Retain Veterinarians
- Catalog Federal Resources Available to Veterinarians
- Work with Stakeholders to Understand the Barriers to Entry and Increase Recruitment in Rural Areas
This plan aims to address the rural veterinary shortage due to the low percentage of veterinary school students that come from rural areas or express an interest in rural practice, along with the low number of recent grads entering production animal medicine.
As a part of the working with stakeholders action item, USDA will be hosting two virtual listening sessions for the veterinary workforce on Sept. 29 and 30. The following USDA agencies will be represented at these sessions:
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Economic Research Service
- Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- Rural Development
These sessions will begin with a short update on the current veterinary landscape followed by stakeholder comments for the remainder of the meeting. Interested parties are invited to participate and must register for these sessions in advance. Both sessions will cover the same topics.