State/Territory
Minnesota
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Clearwater and Polk Counties
Shortage Location - May Serve
Beltrami, Marshall, Pennington and Roseau Counties
Location Center
Bagley, MN
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.)
80
Type of Shortage
(Veterinary Practice Area / Discipline / Specialty)
Type I Shortage: Private Practice Food Animal Medicine
Must serve
Beef Cattle
Other Must Serve
May serve
Dairy Cattle
Swine
Poultry
Small Ruminant
Other May Serve
Employer
Position Title
Other disciplinary area
Carry Over
Nominator Name
Courtney R. Wheeler
Nominator Title
Assistant State Veterinarian
Nominator Org
Minnesota Board of Animal Health
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
612-756-2810
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
A veterinarian is needed in this shortage situation area to serve as the official veterinarian for two of Minnesota's 20 state/federal livestock markets. These markets serve as a central hub for the sale of livestock including beef and dairy cattle, sheep and hogs from Minnesota farms to locations throughout the United States. There are more than 4,000 livestock premises in this shortage situation area, 2,000 of which raise beef and dairy cattle (Minnesota Board of Animal Health (BAH) Premises Data 2023). A veterinarian filling this shortage situation will provide continuity of services to livestock producers.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
The veterinarian serving in this shortage situation will be responsible for inspection of all livestock presented for sale at state/federal livestock markets. In this capacity, the veterinarian acts as an agent of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the BAH to enforce state and federal animal health regulations which are vital for livestock traceability and preventing the spread of infectious and contagious disease. Responsibilities include; writing Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs) for animals moving interstate, conducting disease surveillance and regulatory testing for livestock, working with market management to ensure compliance with all state import requirements, assuring that all livestock are properly identified and completing official records and reports. This veterinarian will also serve the area's producers by diagnosing disease, performing surgical and obstetrical procedures, pregnancy testing, developing and implementing vaccination programs, performing diagnostics and necropsies, prescribing appropriate drugs, feed ingredient oversight, and providing emergency services.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
This shortage situation has previously been nominated for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program but was not awarded. State Federal Livestock markets in this shortage situation have reported difficulty recruiting and retaining a qualified official veterinarian which is required for a market to be permitted in Minnesota. Food and mixed animal veterinary practitioners in the area report that they are actively seeking veterinarians to assist with their expanding case load and ultimately manage and/or purchase their practices to provide continuity of care to clients.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
It is imperative to the nation's food supply to hire and retain qualified veterinarians to work in state-federal livestock markets. Movement of healthy, properly identified animals is the crux of preventing disease spread. Not retaining a veterinarian in this situation could prove detrimental to area livestock markets who require an official veterinarian to operate under state law. Producers will have to transport livestock longer distances to market them increasing risk of disease transmission. The number of large animal practitioners in this shortage situation continues to decrease as more veterinarians reach retirement age and fewer veterinarians pursue careers in rural livestock practice. Not filling this shortage situation will result in the loss of multiple family-owned agriculture operations that will be unable to compensate for increased cost of veterinary services correlated to expanded areas of coverage. Lack of or limited access to veterinary services for producers will contribute to proliferation and spread of disease, reproductive losses, and diminishing animal welfare.
Community Aspects
This area is rich in Minnesota heritage and has many popular historical and outdoor attractions including the Mississippi headwaters. This is a great location for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hiking, biking and kayaking. A veterinarian in this shortage situation would play a major role in supporting Minnesota's agricultural community at large as the area is home to a large variety of farms that produce livestock products and crops.