REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has announced a new grant program to attract and retain production animal veterinarians to the state.

"Livestock is a big deal in Nebraska. The Nebraska Rural Veterinary Grant Program will award up to 13 new veterinary graduates with a $150,000 grant per veterinarian," Pillen said during a news conference April 14.

These grants are for individuals who have accepted a job in a rural veterinary clinic and will do 80% of their work in food animal production. A commitment to stay in rural Nebraska for at least eight years is required. The grant is open to any veterinary students who are nearing graduation, and who make the commitment to the Nebraska workforce.

MEETING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

"As Gov. Pillen mentioned, the grant award selection process will focus on candidates with a passion for production animal health, relevant experience, academic success and commitment to rural Nebraska," said Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) Commissioner Katie Thurber. Her department will oversee the application process focusing on new or recent veterinary graduates who begin working in eligible rural clinics after Jan. 1, 2025.

Rural areas are defined as a city with a population under 40,000. Those being awarded the grant must provide the sufficient paperwork to the NDOL annually. The grant is to be rewarded at the completion of the criteria.

Kris Bousquet, executive director of Nebraska Dairy Association, stressed the importance of having good veterinary care available in his industry, as well as all the food animal industries in Nebraska.

"Veterinarians are almost like business partners when it comes to our production practices. As a matter of fact, every single animal welfare protocol is reviewed by a veterinarian and our dairy farmers are required to keep on file a veterinarian-client patient relationship form," he added.

Bousquet continued to show appreciation for a program to help provide more expertise for the dairy and food animal industry through this program.

PROGRAM TO GENERATE INTEREST WHERE NEEDED

Nebraska's State Veterinarian Roger Dudley said this program will help generate interest in production animal medicine in the state and bring more vets to the rural areas where needed. "There are areas of the state that really struggle to have veterinary care," Dudley added. "The challenge is getting enough production animal veterinarians to go to the shortage areas. This is another opportunity to encourage production animal veterinarians to come and stay in Nebraska."

Pillen, who holds his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Kansas State University, said with a lot of one- or two-man practices in Nebraska with an aging veterinary community, he hopes this will lead to an addition of the professionals in the needed areas.

"We aren't the only state with this problem, but with everyone here working together, we are coming up with an innovative approach to solve the problem," he said. Pillen credited the shortage of food animal veterinarians to lifestyle and the amount of work it takes to work on the bigger animals. The human-animal bonds with cats and dogs and an easier way of life have led more vet students to that type of practice, in his opinion.

Those receiving this grant cannot be part of the Elite 11 Veterinary Program, which was introduced in November 2024 for Nebraska students pursuing a veterinary degree. Students in the Elite 11 program are also expected to stay in Nebraska and practice as a production-animal veterinarian for eight years or pay back their school expenses which were paid as part of the program.

"This is a significant step towards strengthening veterinary services in Nebraska's rural areas," said Thurber. The program will be funded from Nebraska's Workforce Development Program Cash Fund.

For more information, visit https://dol.nebraska.gov/…

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

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