State/Territory
New York
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Allegany County and Eastern Half of Cattaraugus County
Shortage Location - May Serve
Western Cattaraugus County
Location Center
Cuba, NY
VSGP Status
Open
VMLRP Status
(Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program)
Open
Priority of shortage
Critical
Fiscal year
Percent FTE
(Full Time Equivalent, based on a 40hr work week.)
40
Type of Shortage
(Veterinary Practice Area / Discipline / Specialty)
Type II Shortage: Private Practice – Rural Area Food Animal Medicine
Must serve
Beef Cattle
Dairy Cattle
Other Must Serve
May serve
Swine
Poultry
Small Ruminant
Other May Serve
Captive Cervid
Employer
Position Title
Other disciplinary area
Carry Over
Nominator Name
Joy Bennett, DVM MPH DACPVM
Nominator Title
Director, Division of Animal Industry
Nominator Org
Department of Agriculture and Markets
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
518-457-3502
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
Allegany County and Cattaraugus County are adjacent counties in western New York which both share a border with Pennsylvania to the south. The area is rich in agriculture, and the need for a veterinarian is estimated to be critical at this time. According to the 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture, Allegany County is the home of 789 farms, of which livestock, poultry, and products generate $43,605,000 in sales per year (28th ranking for sales in the state). Of that, $28,711,000 comes from milk from dairy cows. In terms of animal populations in this county, as of 2017 there were 29,319 cattle and calves, 2992 goats and sheep, 19,885 misc. poultry, 1488 horses and ponies, and 891 hogs and pigs. According to the same census report, Cattaraugus County has 956 farms, with sales of livestock, poultry and their products totaling $73,525,000 (15th ranking for sales in the state). Of this, $55,636,000 comes from milk from dairy cows. In terms of animal populations in Cattaraugus County, in 2017 there were a total of 36,651 cattle and calves, 2355 sheep and goats, 5540 misc. poultry, 1569 horses and ponies, and 502 hogs and pigs. This shortage area would encompass all of Allegany County, and the eastern half of Cattaraugus County, with the western half of Cattaraugus as an optional "May Service" area as there is also a shortage there. The need for veterinarians in this area is critical. Allegany County currently has approximately 2.75 full time equivalent (FTE) accredited veterinarians practicing large animal and living in the county, but 1.75 FTE of those are retirement age. Cattaraugus County currently has approximately 0.5 full time equivalent (FTE) accredited veterinarians practicing large animal and living in the county. The vets that do service the area travel from out of state or northern counties, sometimes from very far away, in attempt to fulfill the need. It is not uncommon that a farmer has an emergency or needs services and cannot find a veterinarian to come.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
A vet receiving this award would be required to serve both beef and dairy clients. There is a wide range of farms in this area, ranging from small tie stall dairy farms, to larger 1000 cow dairy farms, as well as a variety of mostly backyard cow-calf operations. There are many Amish farms needing veterinary services with a variety of species. A veterinarian would be expected to perform routine cattle veterinary services such as herd health, reproduction, vaccination program development and administration as needed, treatment of sick cattle, and emergency services. Also important in an area with so few vets is that veterinary-client-patient relationships can be established, as it is now a requirement of many milk cooperatives that a VCPR is current in order to ship milk. It would be extremely helpful for the veterinarian to become accredited so that routine duties could be performed, such as preparation of health certificates for purposes of interstate and international movements and fair exhibition. The schools in this area often have active FFA and 4H programs, which would offer opportunities for participation by the veterinarian, who could in turn promote their business. Client and producer education meetings would also be helpful and desired by the community. The New York Beef Producers group in this area is very active, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension groups provide support to producers. It would be optimal for a veterinarian to team up with these groups for educational meetings, trainings, and to promote their services. The veterinarian would also have the option to count work on sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, and captive cervids toward their VMLRP service hours. There is certainly a need for veterinarians to work on these species as well.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
Veterinarians nearing retirement have, for the most part, not found replacements to take over their businesses, and many continue to work in effort to serve their clients in spite of health and other challenges. This issue has likely in part due to the high vet school debt load faced by recent graduates and the challenges that scenario presents in terms of purchasing an established business. This scenario has been discouraging to retirement-aged practitioners, at times leading to discontinuation of recruitment efforts after years of trying.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
An area which relies heavily on agriculture but does not have vets to serve their farms is at tremendous risk from a public health, food safety, animal disease, and farm viability standpoint. Not having vets to serve a rural area presents public health concerns such as animals not getting rabies vaccines; animals developing zoonotic diseases which go undetected in the absence of a veterinarian; and inadequate screening for diseases of significance to public health such as Salmonella. If a farmer does not have a VCPR, they may not be able to sell milk – making their farm business unsustainable. Similarly, a farmer with a high morbidity or high mortality disease event on their farm without a veterinarian to respond could be left with a very poor outcome for their business and the health of their animals. Along those lines, without the presence of accredited veterinarians in the area to monitor for signs of foreign animal diseases and emerging diseases, the local, state and federal economy is at risk. Sick animals that are not attended to due to lack of a veterinary care creates an animal welfare issue. Food safety is compromised when farmers use medications without veterinary oversight. Additionally, with the proximity to Pennsylvania, animals undergoing movement may need to cross state lines, but the lack of a veterinarian to provide regulatory services such as health certificates could lead to unqualified movements of animals. We feel that the need in this area is critical, due to the low number of veterinarians that currently serve this area, which is likely to worsen in years to come.
Community Aspects
Allegany County is located close to the beautiful Fingerlakes Region of New York, which features scenic drives, wineries, and vast farmland. Nearby state parks include Allegany, Letchworth and Kinzua State Park, and the county has skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, biking, boating and fishing recreational opportunities. Local attractions include historical sites, the Corning Museum, the Cuba Cheese Shop and Museum, and the Seneca Oil Spring Casino. Allegany County is in close proximity to busy city centers including Buffalo, Rochester, and Ithaca. The cost of living is relatively low, and a veterinarian interested in hobby farming would find many opportunities in this area. Cattaraugus County offers similar opportunities for recreation and outdoor activities, as well as fine dining, golfing, whitewater rafting and kayaking, and an outdoor adventure park.