America is faciang a food system shortage. Livestock veterinarians are the new endangered species. Farmers are losing access to the experts they need to keep our food supply safe.

More than 500 U.S. counties across 46 states are federally designated veterinary shortage areas. Just 1.3 percent of registered veterinarians specialize in food animal practice. This frontline workforce is fraying at a time when U.S. farms produce more than 94 percent of all red meat and poultry Americans consume.

Addressing this growing concern will require sustained industry investment in education that makes veterinary careers more accessible, in recruitment efforts that prioritize rural areas and in hands-on training that adequately prepares the next generation.

Food animal veterinarians are the unsung heroes of American agriculture. They inspect livestock, administer vaccines and provide critical guidance on herd health. They support the viability of family farms, local economies and the safety of the food on our tables.

Yet the United States has lost 90 percent of food animal veterinarians since the 1950s. And the number of these critical vets continues to decline.

For one, the cost of veterinary education is prohibitive. New graduates leave school with an average debt load of about $150,000. For those called to food animal practice, that financial burden is often compounded by lower pay than they could expect to earn in clinics that focus on companion animals.

Then there’s the nature of the work. Rural veterinarians have to travel long distances to reach clients and face physical strain from handling large animals. They’re often on call both nights and weekends.

The result is a dwindling workforce.

For farmers, this creates impossible choices: Delay care or watch helplessly as animals suffer and operations become less productive. These aren’t just emotional losses. They threaten the survival of farms and ranches.

The consequences ripple outward to grocery stores and dinner tables. When veterinary oversight is compromised, it becomes harder to contain the spread of foodborne pathogens. Roughly 9 million Americans fall ill from contaminated food each year — a number that could soar if we fail to restore the frontline of livestock care.

The shortage could also limit our ability to tackle emerging diseases in animal populations, which often spread quickly through supply chains, and in some cases, jump to humans. Early detection and response require having trained veterinarians on the ground.

There are several things we can do to help overcome this challenge.

Loan repayment and scholarship programs are already making an impact. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program offers up to $40,000 per year for students who commit to working in shortage areas after graduation. My employer, Merck Animal Health, has awarded scholarships and grants to veterinary students, which totaled more than $1.5 million in 2024 alone. In July, the company partnered with the Farm Journal Foundation to expand its online educational hub, which features learning modules designed to help students succeed in veterinary careers.

There’s room for more public- and private-sector initiatives like these.

Recruitment strategies also need to evolve. Students from rural backgrounds are more likely to return to and serve their home communities. Veterinary schools must do more to identify and support these students.

Equally important is improving the training of future veterinarians. Increasing access to hands-on, experiential and virtual learning can equip students with the skills they need to succeed.

Revitalizing rural veterinary care isn’t just about filling vacancies — it’s about ensuring the vitality of communities and protecting our food supply. By investing in the next generation of livestock veterinarians, we can do just that.

(Welsh, DVM, is the executive director of U.S. livestock technical services at Merck Animal Health. This piece originally ran in the Oklahoman.)