The Manitoba government has finalized details of its new plan to attract, train and retain veterinarians to support commercial agriculture in rural areas.

“Our government has invested in this new strategy to address the critical shortage of veterinarians providing care for commercial livestock and poultry operations in rural Manitoba,” Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson said in an announcement in Ste. Rose.

“The agricultural sector is vital to our provincial economy and we are committed to providing support to address the sector’s needs.”

The government has expanded its inter-provincial agreement with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan to provide increased annual funding for the acceptance of an additional five Manitoba students beginning in 2023-24, as part of its strategy to build the province’s animal health-care capacity.

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