News

USDA awards veterinary grants

The USDA has announced thirteen grants to help support rural veterinary services in shortage areas.  The grant recipients include Lodi Veterinary Hospital and Mondovi Veterinary Service in Wisconsin, and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Overall, 2-point-3 million dollars was awarded.  The 13 grants were funded through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the 2014 Farm Bill.

Iowa State will use 250-thousand dollars to create a residency program in food animal parasitology.  They will also pair 4^th-year veterinary students with working vet clinics in shortage areas, and create avenues for the graduates to move on to careers in those areas.

Lodi Veterinary Clinic in Lodi, Wisconsin will use nearly 125-thousand dollars to expand services in Columbia, Adams, and Marquette counties, where farmers are struggling to get animal care due to several veterinarian retirements.  They will double their service territory and establish a satellite clinic in Portage, Wisconsin to help care for the nearly 76-thousand cattle in those three counties.

Mondovi Veterinary Services, Mondovi, Wisconsin was awarded almost 112-thousand dollars to expand services to dairy and beef producers in northwestern Wisconsin.  They will add equipment including ultrasound imaging and staff, as they anticipate the retirement of six regional veterinarians in the near future.