Guelph, Ont.) – The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) welcome the release of the Veterinary Incentive Program that was announced this week by the Government of Ontario. The program will encourage newly licensed veterinarians to practice in northern and underserviced communities by providing grants of up to $50,000 over five years to veterinarians who provide care to livestock and poultry in these communities.
Through the program, which is being delivered by the Agriculture Adaptation Council, up to 100 newly licensed veterinarians will be incentivized to provide specialized care to animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry in underserviced locations of the province. For the last several years, BFO has prioritized finding solutions to address the shortage of large animal veterinarians, which has been impacting beef farmers in eastern and northern Ontario. BFO continues to work with our industry partners and engage with the provincial government to discuss solutions to address this growing problem.
“While there isn’t one single solution that will address the lack of veterinary capacity in Ontario, there are a multitude of short-term and long-term strategies, like the Veterinary Incentive Program, that will help create real progress for the livestock sector,” states Jack Chaffe, BFO President. “We appreciate the leadership of Minister Thompson and Minister Dunlop on this file, and we look forward to continuing to work on this issue together.”
In addition to their engagement with industry and government, BFO continues to find ways to connect with Ontario Veterinary College students who are interested in working with beef cattle, to share information about the Ontario beef sector, and to get a better understanding of how to create opportunities to get interested students on-farm experiences. Further to this, BFO also funds two annual scholarships for Ontario Veterinary College students who are interested in beef cattle and plan to work in the food animal stream.
“Animal welfare is of the upmost importance to beef farmers and having a strong relationship with veterinarians is a critical component of our industry’s commitment to animal care, quality assurance and to our customers,” explains Chaffe.
Veterinary Incentive Program details, eligibility requirements and information on how to apply will be available on the AAC website.
Source : e Beef Farmers of Ontario