OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry recently announced a new partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation to address Oklahoma’s rural and food animal veterinary shortage.
In collaboration with agriculture industry stakeholders, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur is assessing the state’s specific challenges in creating a stronger, more vibrant veterinary workforce program that supports practitioners, farmers, and rural economic development.
“The shortage of rural and food animal veterinarians threaten agricultural livelihoods, rural economic growth, disease control, animal health and public health,” Arthur said. “We are working to create a path forward to address the critical shortage and build support for veterinary livelihoods in rural communities.”
Sec. Arthur hosted a virtual meeting with Farm Journal Foundation Monday to launch the project with more than 50 people in attendance representing the livestock industry, rural veterinary practices, educational institutions and state government.
The next steps in addressing the veterinarian shortage will focus on the collection of data and resources that will be analyzed by the Farm Journal Foundation.
“One of the keys to success we believe is bringing the agriculture community and the veterinary community together for this dialogue and conversation,” said Farm Journal Foundation’s Program Consultant Keith Rogers. “With the information we gather and organize we will begin that educational process with the agriculture and veterinary stakeholders in Oklahoma.”
The Farm Journal Foundation will analyze the collected data in October.
For more information about the partnership, contact Kirsten Hollansworth at kirsten.hollansworth@ ag.ok.gov.
