Farm Journal Foundation applauds creation of Senate Veterinary Medicine Caucus

August 21, 2023 - Farm Journal Foundation applauds the creation of the inaugural Senate Veterinary Medicine Caucus, which will raise awareness of the importance of veterinarians and address policy challenges including the shortage of practitioners working in rural areas.

The Foundation is grateful to US Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith and Amy Klobuchar for spearheading this bipartisan effort to address challenges in the veterinary sector. In 2022, the US Department of Agriculture estimated that at least 500 countries across 46 states had critical shortages of veterinary services that are vital to ensuring livestock and poultry are healthy and productive. Only 3-4 percent of new veterinary school graduates pursue livestock or other food-animal practice areas, a stark decline from 40 years ago when about 40 percent of graduates specialised in this area, according to a recent Farm Journal Foundation report.

"Veterinarians are on the front lines of treating and stopping the spread of animal diseases, protecting human and animal health, food safety and economic growth in rural areas," said Kelsey Barnes, Director of Government Affairs at Farm Journal Foundation. "We are grateful to Senator Hyde-Smith, Senator Klobuchar and all the members of the caucus for championing this important issue and working to protect the long-term vitality of our food and agricultural industries."

In addition to co-chairs Hyde-Smith and Klobuchar, the bipartisan caucus includes Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Bozman and US Senators Mike Braun, Lindsey Graham, Chuck Grassley, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall MD,Jerry Moran, James Risch, Tina Smith and Roger Wicker.

For more information, visit HERE.

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