Ag Secretary Rollins unveils action plan to address rural vet shortage

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins is on the road in Mississippi today and just made a big announcement at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Rollins unveiled USDA’s new Rural Veterinary Shortage Action Plan (PDF) along with Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi Farm Bureau’s Mike McCormick, and MSU President Mark Keenum.

It aims to expand grants and financial assistance, streamline loan applications, invest in research, and recruit more students from rural America into veterinary schools, all to support veterinarians and protect livestock health across rural communities.

Related Stories
NRECA CEO Jim Matheson joins us to discuss rural electric co-ops’ push for expanded USDA loan programs, rising energy demand from data center expansion, wildfire mitigation and other policy priorities impacting rural power infrastructure.
The fifth-generation operation is managing land and cattle with a long-term focus.
Officials say the virus is not a food safety risk and does not affect humans
With the Farm Bill now in the Senate’s hands, industry groups say the stakes are high—and timely action could be critical for producers navigating a difficult economic environment.
The Texas Department of Agriculture confirmed a New World Screwworm case about 119 miles from the Texas border, near Zapata, Texas, and north and west of the Rio Grande Valley.
Landowners interested in protecting working ground through an easement now have another funding window open until the end of May.