Legislators Reintroduce Bill to Recruit and Retain Veterinarians in High-Need Areas

Mar 31, 2025

The Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation to help recruit and retain veterinarians in underserved and rural areas, was reintroduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Representatives Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and John Larson (D-Conn.).

“In nearly every state in the country, there are shortages for veterinarians, especially in rural areas,” Sen. Smith says. “This record shortage causes serious harm to the health of animals and the public. Providing additional funding to the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) and updating the tax code to better serve veterinarians will allow more qualified vets to do vital work with our animals in underserved communities.”

Strongly endorsed by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), this would expand the reach and maximize the allocated funding of the highly successful VMLRP, which can help to attract veterinarians in USDA-designated veterinary shortage areas by assisting with the significant obstacle of educational debt. It would also end the federal taxation on VMLRP awards, allowing more veterinarians to participate in a program that offers up to $120,000 over three years for student loan repayment in exchange for service in one of the designated shortage areas. In addition, it would align the tax code with human and other healthcare professions’ award funds.

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Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.