, ,

USDA Program Could Help Bring Veterinarians To Underserved Areas

Many Rural Wisconsin Counties Face Shortage Of Animal Care

By
Annie Lambla (CC-BY-NC-ND)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a loan repayment program for veterinary school graduates that could help many rural Wisconsin towns facing shortages in animal care.

The average veterinary school graduate racks up more than $135,000 in student loans, leading most graduates to seek out higher salaries in big cities. In Wisconsin, the trend is partly why more than one-third of all counties are facing a shortage of veterinarians.

The USDA’s new program places recent veterinary school graduates in underserved communities, awarding them nearly $100,000 over three years.

Stay informed on the latest news

Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

State Veterinarian Paul McGraw said veterinarians play a major role in Wisconsin’s farming industry by “working with the producers — the dairy producers, the beef producers, swine, poultry — so we have healthy animals going into the food chain as they’re harvested.”

The selected veterinarians will serve 28 Wisconsin counties, predominantly in the southern part of the state.