Maryland's agriculture department has unveiled new recommendations to tackle the critical shortage of veterinarians serving rural areas and food systems. The plan was developed with the Farm Journal Foundation and focuses on immediate action steps involving community engagement and data collection.
ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 25, 2026) – Officials with Maryland’s agriculture department have unveiled a new set of recommendations aimed at tackling the critical shortage of veterinarians serving rural communities and food production systems throughout the state.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) worked alongside the Farm Journal Foundation to develop the action plan, which emerged from a comprehensive statewide evaluation of the veterinary shortage crisis.
According to the department, the newly released recommendations focus on three key areas: community engagement initiatives, improved data collection methods, and long-term strategic planning to address the veterinary workforce gap.
The shortage of rural and food-systems veterinarians has become an increasingly pressing issue for Maryland’s agricultural communities, affecting everything from livestock health to food safety protocols across farming operations statewide.
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