WASHINGTON, D.C. – On August 28, 2025, Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Rural Veterinary Action Plan, a bold strategy to increase the number of rural food animal veterinarians across the U.S. and to bolster the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s veterinary workforce in its role to protect American ranchers, animals, and our food supply. The strategy includes the following actions:
- Enhance and Streamline Veterinary Grant Programs
- Analyze Rural Veterinary Shortages to Better Understand the Need
- Recruit and Retain USDA Veterinarians
- Catalog Federal Resources Available to Veterinarians for Starting a Practice
- Work with and Listen to Stakeholders, including Vet Schools, to Understand the Barriers to Entry and Increase Recruitment from Rural Areas.
A low percentage of veterinary school students come from rural areas or express interest in rural practice, and an even lower rate of recent veterinary school graduates enter into production animal medicine.
