Remedies urgently needed for veterinary care shortage

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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The calf with the broken leg had healed up nicely. After Dr. Jim Bennett, a veterinarian with a Plainview, Minn., clinic, removed the cast on a cold day this week, the young animal took a few tentative steps, then regained its confidence and merrily went on its way.

House (or farm) calls like this are foundational for Minnesota's agricultural economy. The state's livestock producers help feed not just the nation, but the world. Care provided by veterinarians like Bennett is essential in raising healthy herds and flocks.

But Bennett, the president of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), has been practicing for 43 years and is in his late 60s. While he still loves what he does, at some point he'll need to retire from a job requiring physical strength and travel. "You can't live forever," he told an editorial writer.

Bennett's skill and dedication will make it hard to find a replacement when that time comes. Filling that future vacancy will be made even more difficult by the scarcity of veterinarians caring for large animals in rural areas.

While this is a national problem, agriculture's importance to Minnesota requires the state to be at the forefront of finding solutions. Lawmakers will soon return to St. Paul for the 2024 legislative session. This critical workforce shortage requires both attention and innovation.

There are seven federally designated "veterinary services shortage situations" in Minnesota. The counties impacted include Blue Earth, Faribault, Clearwater, Polk, Houston, Lyon, Lincoln, Yellow Medicine, Todd, Wadena and Anoka.

That's a big swath of Minnesota, a reality lawmakers should be aware of. Farmers across the state also report challenges accessing veterinary care.

Brittney Johnson is a livestock producer in Otter Tail County. Like most farmers, she's skilled at providing medical care to her animals. She seeks guidance from veterinarians when more complicated needs arise — with consultations typically done by phone due to demands on their time.

The local vets have been excellent to work with, but they're both near retirement age, she noted, adding that seven other veterinarians in the county have retired in the last five years.

Her experience prompted Johnson to develop VetCareGap.com to raise awareness and advocate for action. "Only 5 of 105 graduates in the most recent University of Minnesota class chose large animal veterinary work," the website notes. "Graduates from Veterinary Colleges are choosing to work in urban and suburban areas, where salaries are high and working conditions are better."

The Editorial Board has previously urged state lawmakers to expand the state's rural veterinarian loan repayment program. The annual appropriation: $375,000. More dollars available would help entice more young vets to underserved areas.

Another worthy reform at championed by U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach would exempt loan repayments through the federal program from withholding taxes.

Legislators also ought to examine other options for providing veterinary care, such as developing the equivalent of human medicine's "mid-level providers" such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants. There are many people who would like to work with animals but can't afford a veterinary medicine degree or are deterred by the time it takes to get one.

This year, the MVMA is advocating for a change that would raise the status of vet technicians by requiring licensure for them. The state is one of a handful that doesn't require it now, and the change could reduce turnover in the profession, establish training standards and boost pay and status.

Skilled, licensed techs handling specific, routine duties could also boost vet clinics' care capacity, allowing more clients to be seen and providing relief to overbooked veterinarians.