Food animal veterinarians are critical to maintaining a healthy, secure, and safe food supply and for safeguarding the health and well-being of food animals. Today, there is a growing shortage of food animal veterinarians in private and public practice, particularly in rural communities in the United States as highlighted in the recent USDA Rural Veterinary Action plan. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) to mitigate food animal veterinary shortages. VSGP supports rural, food animal veterinary clinics and education and training opportunities for veterinarians, veterinary students and veterinary technicians through two different project types, the Education, Extension, and Training (EET) grants and the Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) grants. NIFA recently announced 22 VSGP awards, including eight EET grants and 14 RPE grants. EET grants focus on education and Extension activities that provide current and future veterinarians, veterinary students and veterinary technicians with specialized skills and practices by expanding educational programs at American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)-accredited schools and professional organizations. RPE grants directly support veterinary clinics and practices by providing up to $125,000 for the purchase of equipment and to support clinic staffing and operations to enhance food animal veterinary services in a designated shortage area.
2025 EET Awardees:
- Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona ($250,000);
- Colorado State University ($250,000);
- Iowa State University of Science and Technology ($250,000);
- Louisiana State University ($250,000);
- Texas Tech University ($250,000);
- University of Alaska Fairbanks ($250,000);
- University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc. ($250,000);
- University of Kentucky ($250,000);
2025 RPE Awardees:
- Blue Mountain Dairy Veterinary Services ($125,000)
- Boonesboro Animal Clinic PSC ($125,000)
- Bovine Veterinary Solutions, PLLC ($125,000)
- Camellia City Animal Hospital ($125,000)
- Dr Rachel W McCurdy Veterinary Services ($125,000)
- Family Veterinary Services, PLC ($125,000)
- Hoxie Veterinary Service, PA ($125,000)
- Indianola Veterinary Clinic PLLC ($125,000)
- Lawson Veterinary Services INC ($125,000)
- MVVH Orland, INC ($125,000)
- Rocking KM Veterinary Services PC ($125,000)
- Rolling Hills Veterinary Service PC ($125,000)
- Sage Creek Veterinary LLC ($125,000)
- Zook Veterinary Services ($125,000)