Brown Introduces Legislation to Address Nationwide Veterinarian Shortage, Encourage Next Generation to Work in Animal Medicine

Image October 1, 2026 Press Release Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11), Vice Ranking Member on the House Committee on Agriculture has introduced legislation to create a competitive federal grant program supporting work-based learning programs exposing high school-aged students to veterinarian medicine. The VET CARE Act (Veterinary Expansion and Training for Comprehensive Animal Resources and Education Act) authorizes the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide federal grants to schools, 4-H or FFA organizations, veterinary clinics and hospitals, or veterinary and animal health offices to create, develop, or expand work-based learning programs focused on veterinary medicine. In 2025, the USDA identified veterinarian shortages in 46 states . According to a 2025 report by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Farm Journal Foundation, Ohio faces a veterinarian shortage of 600 to 1,000 veterinarians by the next decade . That report surveyed Ohio stakeholders who rated the severity of the crisis at a “7.9 out of 10.” Due to a lack of servicing and providers available, farmers and ranchers in all regions face a bottleneck of services due to overcrowding at shelters, private practices, and emergency care facilities. Full text of the bill can be found by clicking here. “If we want more veterinarians serving our ranchers and rural communities, we need to start by showing young people that this is a career they can pursue. The Vet CARE Act would help schools and communities give students hands-on experience and a real look at what it means to work in veterinary medicine. By introducing students to these careers early, we can open doors for young people and build a stronger pipeline of veterinarians for the communities that need them most,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown. The VET CARE Act is supported by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges and The Ohio State University . “Through our mission of promoting excellence in academic veterinary medicine, the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) knows that efforts to alleviate the veterinarian workforce shortage start long before students reach professional school classrooms. That is why we are encouraged by the VET CARE Act's work-based learning programs, which will give high school students real, hands-on exposure to veterinary medicine and a clearer pathway toward long-term employment in large-animal and food-animal veterinary practice, where our nation really needs help. We are proud to endorse a bill that aims to strengthen the veterinary pipeline from the ground up,” said Emma K. Read, Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges “Addressing veterinary workforce shortages requires a long-term commitment to building and sustaining the pipeline of professionals who protect animal health, public health, and our food systems. Through our Protect One Health in Ohio (Protect OHIO) initiative, we are collaborating with the State of Ohio, agricultural partners, Ohio colleges and communities across the state to recruit and support future rural and large-animal veterinarians, reduce financial barriers to veterinary education and help graduates return to serve the communities that need them most,” said Dr. Rustin M. Moore, Rita Jean Wolfe Endowed Dean at the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. “The VET CARE Act would complement and amplify these efforts by creating additional opportunities for students to gain practical experience and pursue careers in the rural and agricultural communities in Ohio and across the nation where this highly specialized workforce is needed most. We are grateful to Congresswoman Brown for their leadership in advancing this important legislation and for recognizing the critical roles that veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal scientists, diagnosticians, epidemiologists, food-safety specialists, animal-husbandry professionals and others across the agricultural workforce play in protecting our nation’s animal health, food supply, public health and rural communities.” "Preparing the next generation of veterinarians and animal health professionals is essential to Ohio agriculture and the strength of our rural communities. The VET CARE Act would strengthen the pipeline of rural and large-animal veterinarians through expanded hands-on experience, rural community immersion, and partnerships with schools, 4-H, FFA, and communities across the state, while training our future workforce. We greatly appreciate Congresswoman Brown leadership in advancing this important legislation," said Dr. Cathann A. Kress, Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State University. ### Issues : Nutrition and Agriculture