Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a Rural Veterinary Action Plan to address the shortage of rural food animal veterinarians and strengthen recruitment into USDA service.
The plan includes streamlining applications for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program and Veterinary Services Grant Program, while increasing funding for these initiatives. USDA’s Economic Research Service will also study rural veterinary shortages and deliver a report in 2026. To recruit and retain federal veterinarians, USDA is considering special pay rates, tuition reimbursements and recruitment bonuses. Additional efforts will catalog resources to help veterinarians start rural practices and expand outreach to universities and rural youth. USDA said that listening sessions with stakeholders will help shape further action to secure the veterinary workforce needed nationwide.
