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Media Contacts: Raechelle Belli, 608-224-5005 or Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020
MADISON, Wisconsin – New veterinarians who commit to practicing in one of seven shortage areas in Wisconsin can now apply for financial support under the USDA's Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced today. Applications are due May 19 for consideration during the 2017 grant period.
The VMLRP helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medicine degrees in return for their service in certain critical and high-priority veterinary shortage areas. Applicants must commit to providing veterinary services in a designated area for at least three years. In exchange, they can receive up to $25,000 per year toward repayment of principal and interest on government and commercial loans received for attendance at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent.
"We identified seven different areas in the state with a variety of service needs that will provide a new veterinarian with broad experience, while at the same time bringing veterinary expertise to an area that needs it. This is a win-win situation for all of us," said Dr. Paul McGraw, Wisconsin's state veterinarian.
In each area, the veterinarian must serve the needs of beef and dairy cattle and may also require expertise working with swine, poultry and other small ruminants. The seven areas identified for 2017 include:
- Barron County (Type 3, High Priority)
- Barron County (Type 1, Critical Priority)
- Marathon, Portage, Taylor counties (Type 1, High Priority)
- Brown, Door, Kewaunee counties (Type 1, High Priority)
- Florence, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Vilas counties (Type 2, High Priority)
- Buffalo County (Type 1, Critical Priority)
- Calumet, Fond du Lac counties (Type 1, High Priority)
New veterinarians interested in applying for this opportunity will find background information, requirements and application materials on the NIFA website. The application deadline is May 19. Offers will be made to selected individual veterinarian applicants in September 2017.
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