The September 2026 report from USDA’s Economic Research Service, Food-animal Veterinarians and the Persistence of Rural Shortage Areas <Link>, examines recurring shortages alongside changes in veterinary practice economics and the distribution of cattle production. Andrea Bedford’s article shares many of the findings, including how shortages in some areas recur despite funding support.
The report is a situation analysis and does little to define what it will take to sustain veterinary access in rural cattle country. There’s little doubt that economic and lifestyle factors also significantly influence the supply of veterinarians willing to serve rural food-animal agriculture.
Source: Bovine Veterinarian, October 29, 2026. Link.
The demands of food animal practice combined with declining rural incomes and long travel requirements continue to shape where veterinarians ultimately choose to work <and live>.” – Brandon Genetin, PhD
INSIGHTS: The rural cultural shift challenges are not new. A 1919 World War I-era popular song with words by Joe Young and Sam M. Lewis and music by Walter Donaldson asks what has become a familiar question: “How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm (After They’ve Seen Paree?)” <Link>.
Related:
- Zoetis kicks off third season of Born of the Bond, DairyBusiness, October 31, 2026. Link.
- Understanding the motivations, deterrents, and incentives for rural Albertan veterinary practice, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, September 17, 2025. Link. Qualitative studies from Alberta, Canada, found that personal and family considerations, including the ability to live in a rural setting with one’s partner, are among the top motivators for entering and staying in rural veterinary practice. They highlight that family compatibility and support are critical to sustaining a rural career.
Image: Link.
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