DECATUR COUNTY, GA (WTXL) — A shortage of large animal veterinarians in Georgia is putting pressure on rural communities that depend on agriculture for their local economy and food supply.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture identifies Georgia as one of the top states facing a large animal veterinary shortage.
Jan Jones, a fifth-generation farmer at Jones Farm in Climax, said the shortage hits close to home. From row crops to cattle, she sees firsthand how the care of food animals connects directly to what ends up on grocery store shelves.
"Food safety starts at the farm. It's my job as a farmer, as a rancher, as someone who raises livestock, to make sure that this animal has the food and water and safe living conditions that it's raised in a humane manner, so that it then goes through that process to end up on a grocery store shelf. And a veterinarian is the person who helps guide me to make sure that that animal is healthy and safe and, and well enough to make it to the consumer at the end of that line," Jones said.
Jones said access to large animal veterinarians is essential to the economic foundation of rural Georgia.
"It's crucial to have access to large animal veterinarians in rural communities, especially because we're so dependent on agriculture for our, our economy, right? I mean, it's what floats these rural counties," Jones said.
Dr. Cliff Bailey, a large and small animal veterinarian and Owner of Port City Animal Hospital in Bainbridge, has been practicing for nearly 40 years. He said student loan debt is a major driver of the shortage, as new graduates face a difficult financial reality upon leaving school.
"Most young people that are graduating from veterinary school now have $250,000 to $300,000 worth of student loan debt. They're at a time in their life when they're wanting to buy a home, they're wanting to start a family, they're wanting to pay their student loans back. The financial reality hits them," Bailey said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rural large animal veterinarians earn an average starting salary roughly $30,000 lower than their counterparts in larger metropolitan areas.
Local agriculture leaders say addressing the shortage will require a combination of state loan relief programs and targeted community recruiting efforts to bring the next generation of veterinarians to South Georgia.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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