Gov. Pillen Announces New Nebraska Rural Veterinarian Grant Program

NEBRASKA, April 14 - CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

 

Gov. Pillen Announces New Nebraska Rural Veterinarian Grant Program

 

LINCOLN, NE – LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced a new program through the Nebraska Department of Labor (DOL) aimed at attracting and retaining production animal veterinarians in rural Nebraska. The Rural Veterinarian Grant Program is the second initiative the Governor has launched focused on growing the next generation of production animal veterinarians in the state. The first one, announced last year, is the Elite 11 Veterinary Program through the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL).  

“As I say, we feed the world and save the planet. We need to provide maximum efficiency and resources to help our producers be successful,” said Gov. Pillen. “Additionally, if a foreign animal disease were to come, we need veterinarians who are ready to respond, and enough of them, to implement the programs that would help mitigate the spread of any disease.” 

Through DOL, recent graduates of veterinary schools will be eligible for a $150,000 grant. The same offer is available to newly practicing veterinarians who wish to move to the state and launch their own practice or join an established one in rural Nebraska. Under the program, up to 13 recipients will be selected. To be eligible, applicants must:

• Have a doctorate in veterinary medicine and be licensed to practice in Nebraska
• Commit to residing and practicing in Nebraska for eight years
• Work in a veterinary clinic where at least 80% of its hours are devoted to production animals in a county with a population of less than 40,000 people

Upon conclusion of the agreement, the grant amount will be paid in full to the veterinarian.

“Nebraska has a talented and educated workforce, and this program is well designed to continue growing that workforce to boost the state’s animal production industry,” said DOL Commissioner Katie Thurber.

Speaking for the Nebraska State Dairy Association, Kris Bousquet noted that the grant program, as well as UNL’s Elite 11, represented a “take the bull by the horns” approach to addressing the existing gap in large animal veterinary medicine. 

“Every animal welfare practice that a dairy producer utilizes has been reviewed and approved by their local veterinarian. Veterinarians are not only essential for animal welfare, but also for milk quality and earning and maintaining consumer trust. This program will begin to build our bench of experts to support dairy and all other aspects of livestock production as well.”

DOL’S program is funded through the Department of Labor’s workforce development fund. The grant selection process will focus on the candidate’s passion for production animal health, relevant experience, academic success and commitment to rural Nebraska.

As DOL launches its program, UNL is moving into the next phase of the Elite 11 Veterinary Program, which provides scholarships to students who are interested in becoming large animal veterinarians in rural Nebraska. Students in the first cohort selected last fall are about to conclude their first year of study and will be deployed across the state to engage in apprenticeships and other opportunities for expanding their skills. 

“At the University of Nebraska, we are proud to work alongside Governor Pillen and state leaders to grow and sustain a robust production animal veterinarian workforce,” said Dr. Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of UNL’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. “Through collaborative initiatives like the Elite 11 Veterinary Program and the Department of Labor’s new effort, we are expanding opportunities for students while strengthening the future of rural communities across Nebraska.” 

Students enrolled in the Elite 11 Veterinary Program are not eligible for the DOL grant program. 

More information about the Nebraska Production Animal Rural Veterinarian Grant Program, can be found at: https://dol.nebraska.gov/ruralvetgrant.

Governor Jim Pillen

Nebraska State Dairy Association Executive Director Kris Bousquet

Dean of UNL’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Tiffany Heng-Moss