A task force formed to discuss Kentucky’s shortage of veterinarians treating large animals met Wednesday at the state Department of Agriculture headquarters in Frankfort. One of the attendees was the man who formed the Veterinary Shortage Working Group – state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. He said it was a productive meeting.
“We think that the number one recruitment change that we can focus on is finding those young, 4-H or FFA students who are from rural Kentucky that we know wants to go back to their home county.”
Quarles said those students need help with veterinarian school applications and gathering the resources they need to finish their degree – and that he learned today Kentucky is the only state with a working group tackling a national problem. The group will have a set of recommendations by this fall, he said.
“So if we need to approach the Ag development board for funding, I'll still be in office to do that if we need to approach the Kentucky General Assembly for some legislative changes, I'll still be in office to help get that ball going for the 2024 legislative session.”
Quarles, who finished second in the GOP gubernatorial primary, will finish his second and final term as ag commissioner at the end of the year.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, fact-based journalism. Monthly sustaining donors are the top source of funding for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
