State/Territory
New York
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Bennington County, VT and southern Rutland County, VT
Shortage Location - May Serve
Northern Rutland County, VT, Washington County, NY, Rensselaer County, NY
Location Center
intersection of Routes 153 and 315, Rupert VT
VSGP Status
Open
VMLRP Status
(Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program)
Open
Priority of shortage
High
Fiscal year
Percent FTE
(Full Time Equivalent, based on a 40hr work week.)
30
Type of Shortage
(Veterinary Practice Area / Discipline / Specialty)
Type II Shortage: Private Practice – Rural Area Food Animal Medicine
Must serve
(minimum 50% of time)
Beef Cattle
Dairy Cattle
Small Ruminant
Nominator Name
Emily Buskey
Nominator Title
State Veterinarian
Nominator Org
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
(802) 522-6094
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
The "must serve" geographic shortage area almost completely lacks food animal veterinary practitioners; the only nearby practices are located in New York and cover a multi-state area. Some small animal or equine practitioners may step in occasionally to provide vaccination or deworming services, but the area lacks comprehensive herd health, disease response, or emergency coverage. USDA's 2022 survey lists 8000 cattle, 2700 sheep, 500 goats, and 900 swine in Rutland County, and 251 farms in Bennington County housing 2400 cattle, 400 small ruminants, and 2300 layers plus an undisclosed number of broilers. Rutland's farm numbers have risen by 2% since 2017, while Bennington County demonstrates 28 % per-farm growth in market value of farm products and 135% increase in farm-related income, as well as a 28% increase in production costs. The "may serve" areas include Washington and Rensselaer Counties in New York. These two counties have approximately 1100 farms and 62.000 cattle, including 34,000 dairy cattle, as well as 1400 swine, 1300 sheep, 19,000 layers, and a number of broilers, as well as a busy livestock market. In addition to commercial farms, this includes novice farmers and hobbyists in need of comprehensive veterinary services. A veterinarian covering this area will serve as an educator, a primary and emergency care clinician, a herd/flock health consultant, a public health expert, and an animal welfare advisor to a diverse client and patient demographic. Attracting and retaining food animal veterinarians in this region is essential to the protection of animal and public health, emergency response, food safety, and animal welfare.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
A veterinarian in this area should maintain USDA Category II accreditation. Whether serving as a solo practitioner or as part of a group practice, the applicant will provide routine individual animal, herd/flock health, and emergency clinical services to a diverse demographic of livestock owners living in an area that is home to consumers who value access to local animal-derived products. Because on-farm slaughter and raw milk production are permitted in the must-serve area, in some cases livestock may be raised and managed without the food safety and public health protections that are assured in regulated environments, so the successful veterinarian will protect public health by providing veterinary services and consultation during the pre-harvest phase. The applicant will have the opportunity to work with seasoned farm personnel and novice livestock owners, providing comprehensive clinical and consultation services on all aspects of production livestock husbandry and care. This veterinarian may work at local fairs and support 4H and FFA chapters through public speaking, education and mentorship. The individual may also encourage and recruit future veterinarians through mentoring of secondary school, undergraduate, and veterinary medical students who ride along and shadow or assist. The veterinarian may provide traceability, animal health, and euthanasia services to the local livestock auction market. The successful applicant may participate in local rabies vaccination clinics. This veterinarian may serve as state surge capacity and provide expertise during natural and man-made disasters impacting livestock, such as foreign animal disease incursions, winter storms and flood events.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
Area practices are actively hiring, offering full benefits and competitive pay, along with employee-friendly scheduling such as extended 4-day weekends in rotation with on-call time, production pay on emergency calls, and managing scheduling of calls within geographic areas to increase efficiency and limit driving time. The intent to recruit and retain additional veterinarians in the area should allow on-call time to be shared among more people, while increasing routine preventative care and education of clients, all of which results in a reduced burden of emergency work.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
This geographic area supports an active "farm to plate" movement, but additional veterinary expertise is required to adequately protect food safety and animal/public health in an environmentally conscious manner. Given the absence of traditional extension agents and adequate state regulatory staffing, Vermont relies on veterinarians to serve as the first lines of defense against domestic, emerging and foreign animal disease outbreaks. A lack of critical veterinary resources in this shortage area will result in longer disease detection periods, creating a negative impact on the food supply and public health. This shortage area extends into New York and is home to a livestock auction market, is near an international border with Canada, and contains many livestock farmers who export animals and animal-origin food products nationally and internationally. As a result, failure to quickly detect a livestock disease incursion in this shortage area can have national and international consequences. Veterinarians must step into community leadership and educational One Health roles to ensure agricultural literacy of multiple generations and counter the relative inexperience of those populations. Failure to do so compromises food safety as well as animal welfare and health during the pre-harvest production phase. This will decrease consumer confidence in Vermont's industry and negatively impact a state economy that relies heavily on the agricultural sector. Both Vermont and New York farms are under increased scrutiny from federal regulatory agencies and watchdog groups regarding agricultural impacts on water quality, and many farmers find it difficult to access resources that allow them to easily understand the expectations of their businesses. The extension-type services that a successful veterinary applicant will provide in this shortage area will ensure livestock owners have access to critical information, while continued lack of adequate services will only perpetuate this gap.
Community Aspects
Both Vermont and New York have a strong, diverse, and stable agricultural sector that receives support from the state level. A veterinarian filling this shortage area would have opportunity to share expertise and engage with clientele and patients in numerous ways, allowing professional development in areas of particular interest. Community involvement through work with students, agricultural advocacy organizations, and youth groups could provide significant enrichment and opportunity for leadership. The successful veterinarian may also choose to take advantage of the many outdoor, recreational and cultural opportunities that exist in the shortage area and around the states of Vermont and New York. The region's four seasons, legendary scenery, and rural landscapes host outdoor adventures, abundant state parks, gardens and historic homes, all within close proximity and easy access to major metropolitan areas. Local food production, fine dining, and award-winning cheesemakers and microbreweries make the region a destination for "foodies". Vermont and the nearby Adirondacks are an outdoor enthusiast's paradise where world-class opportunities for biking, hiking, paddling, skiing, and fishing abound. Cultural events are readily available in most towns, and multiple universities and colleges located nearby ensure a vibrant population. A veterinarian serving in this area will be within easy driving distance to Lake George, Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Park, as well as New York City and Montreal. In short, a veterinarian filling this niche will enjoy well-rounded opportunities for professional growth and personal enjoyment.
Page last updated: February 6, 2025