By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Monday March 7, 2022

Mar 7, 2022 | 9:50 AM

MELFORT, Sask. – The Alberta government is committing funding to address the need for more rural veterinarians.

The livestock sector has expressed concern about a lack of access to veterinarian services in remote areas.

The University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine will receive $59 million as part of a strategy to double student enrolment.

Faculty Dean Renate Weller said this funding comes at a crucial time.

“This is a necessary investment to help address a crisis-level shortage of veterinary professionals in the province,” Weller said. “More specifically, this will address needs in rural communities and shortages in urban centres.”

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The funding will expand the physical space for the extra students over the next three years, and there is a commitment to allocate money for an additional 50 seats within the veterinary medicine program.

Plans include the expansion of enrolment for veterinary technologists at technical colleges in the province and investments to attract rural students from rural Alberta.

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To kick off Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month (CALM), Agriculture in the Classroom ((AITC-C) received a cash injection from the federal government to support programs.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the $415,000 will used to connect youth directly with farmers to learn how our food is produced and showcase the role farmers play in the food system.

She said to build the next generation of agricultural producers, Canadians must be informed and inspired.

“The objective of Agriculture in the Classroom is to spark their interest early by teaching youth about the origins of the food they eat and the role of our farm families, while raising awareness of the many possible careers in our sector,” Bibeau said.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW