AVMA Rural Veterinary Workforce Priorities Reflected in New USDA Plan

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a series of new actions it would take to strengthen the rural veterinary workforce and protect America’s food supply. The AVMA-supported Rural Veterinary Action Plan was unveiled at Mississippi State University’s (MSU) veterinary school, featuring U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, U.S. Senator and co-chair of the Senate Veterinary Medicine Caucus Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum, and Mississippi Farm Bureau President Mike McCormick.

Strongly endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Rural Veterinary Action Plan would:

1. Enhance and streamline veterinary grant program.
   • USDA to make up to an additional $15 million available in funding for the AVMA-championed Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP).
2. Analyze rural veterinary shortages.
   • USDA to produce a report to be used by policymakers to address USDA-designated veterinary shortage situations.
3. Recruit and retain USDA veterinarians.
   • USDA will explore opportunities to increase pay and bonuses for federal veterinarians and revitalize existing programs.
4. Catalog federal resources available to veterinarians for starting a practice.
5. Work with stakeholders to further understand barriers to entry and how to increase recruitment of veterinarians in rural and underserved areas.
   • USDA will hold listening sessions between now and Oct. 1, 2025, to hear from key stakeholders to determine what additional actions can be taken.

“The AVMA applauds the USDA for recognizing and working to address the immediate need to recruit and retain veterinarians in rural and underserved communities,” said Michael Bailey, DVM, DACVR, AVMA President. “Strengthening the nation’s animal health infrastructure and agricultural economy relies on the expertise of livestock and public health veterinarians. Through the Rural Veterinary Action Plan, animal and human welfare will be maintained, our food supply will be protected, and public health will be safeguarded. Thank you to Secretary Rollins, Sen. Hyde-Smith, Governor Reeves, MSU President Keenum, and Mississippi Farm Bureau President McCormick for their leadership on an issue that is so critical to the well-being of the veterinary profession and our nation. We look forward to working with the USDA on implementation of the Rural Veterinary Action Plan.”

As a longtime advocate of increasing ways to recruit and retain federal veterinarians in high-need areas, the AVMA continues to work alongside the National Association of Federal Veterinarians and other stakeholders to support and highlight the critical roles our federal workforce plays in safeguarding animal health, public health, and food safety across many positions and agencies.

The AVMA is also working with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to increase funding for the VMLRP and Veterinary Services Grant Program. Legislatively, the AVMA is urging Congress to pass the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, which is a bipartisan bill that would expand the reach and maximize the allocated funding of the highly successful VMLRP. The program helps attract veterinarians to USDA-designated veterinary shortage areas by assisting with the significant obstacle of educational debt.

About the AVMA

Serving more than 108,000 member veterinarians, the AVMA is the nation’s leading representative of the veterinary profession, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of animals, humans, and the environment. Founded in 1863 and with members in every U.S. state and territory and more than 60 countries, the AVMA is one of the largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. Informed by our members’ unique scientific training and clinical knowledge, the AVMA supports the crucial work of veterinarians and advocates for policies that advance the practice of veterinary medicine and improve animal and human health.

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