The Kentucky Veterinary Shortage Working Group is preparing a final report to summarize 18 months of study of a problem that’s grown worse over the last decade. Keith Rogers is the chief of staff for Ag Commissioner Ryan Quarles, who formed the group and is leaving office at the end of the year. He said four sub-groups examined the career paths of people who want to be veterinarians.
“This is a nationwide issue. And it's just not veterinarian shortages in animal large animal food production. We have veterinary shortage and government regulation-type positions, your food safety people and food processing plants, those are veterinarians.”
Rogers said part of the solution could be networking with local farm bureaus and other ag groups to improve veterinarian recruiting efforts – and the hope is that Quarles’ successor, Jonathan Shell, will use the group’s final report expected next month.
“There's some three, four ag leaders that were on the working group that committed themselves yesterday to making sure that either he picks it up and he carries it on or if not, their organization will do so.”
Rogers said most veterinary school graduate face at least $200,000 in student debt, and more can be done to reduce that load.
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