60% of Kansas Livestock Producers Report Veterinarian Shortage

Nearly 60% of Kansas livestock producers report perceiving a shortage of veterinarians, according to a five-year assessment by Kansas State University’s Rural Veterinary Workforce Task Force. Researchers mapped 446 large- and mixed-animal veterinarians statewide and surveyed more than 200 livestock producers to identify gaps in rural veterinary coverage.

The task force is addressing the shortage through recruitment, financial incentives, and retention programs. K-State’s Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas offers loan repayment assistance to graduates who practice in underserved communities, with 86% remaining in qualifying counties after completing their service commitments. A proposed Developing Veterinary Medicine in Rural Kansas program would provide up to $75,000 to early-career large-animal veterinarians who commit to rural practice.

Researchers are also studying burnout, career satisfaction, financial sustainability, and reasons veterinarians remain in or leave rural practice. The effort aims to strengthen animal care, food production, agricultural communities, and long-term Veterinary workforce stability across Kansas.