Daily News Update, Feb. 8, 2008

Hearing on National Veterinary Medical Service Act

The House Ag Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held a hearing Feb. 7 to review the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA).

The NVMSA was enacted in 2003 and directs USDA to help pay the educational loans of licensed veterinarians who agree to work in areas of the country that are underserved by veterinarians, in underserved disciplines of veterinary practice or in underserved areas of the federal government.

While the NVMSA has been funded each year, the USDA has yet to initiate a rulemaking process. Objectives of the hearing were to determine the cause for delay and get the program back on track toward development and implementation.

NCBA members recognize an urgent need for more large animal veterinarians to help serve the cattle industry, especially in rural areas. NCBA policy encourages the vigorous recruitment, selection and training of students with the aptitude and desire to fill the increasing void of food animal veterinarians.

"I think we are headed for a train wreck if we do not address the lack of veterinarians in rural areas and the lack of "heir apparent" large animal/food animal veterinarians to take the place of soon-retiring veterinarians," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) who is the ranking member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.

"There are about 85,000 veterinarians practicing today, and of that number, 8,550 are food animal veterinarians-that's only 10 percent of veterinarians working in the food animal field," Kingston said.

There is also language in the Senate farm bill that asks the same of USDA in addition to requesting an emphasis be placed on food animal veterinarians.