08/01/06 No vet problem now, but later?

More than 11 hundred veterinarians are licensed in Idaho, 575 of them actually practice here today. But a new report says there could be a nationwide shortage of food animal vets within ten years and its coming at a time when avian flu, BSE and hoof and mouth are reasons for concern. CHENOWETH "That we do not have a critical mass out there of food animal veterinarians to handle such problems particularly the worst types." Doctor Peter Chenoweth of Kansas State University says there are plenty of vet students but they can make more money in urban areas treating pets. Idaho Veterinary Medical Association's Vicky Smith says today more than 70 percent of the vet students are women and most of them prefer to work in urban areas with small animals. That's why there's talk of incentives or subsidies to get veterinary students to set up practice in rural areas where they can work with food animals. CHENOWETH "It may be a problem of either retaining them or insuring that when they graduate they have reasonably good jobs that are fulfilling and pay at least enough for them to repay their loans and to survive." Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott