The Province announced a number of initiatives this week aimed at encouraging veterinary students to work in rural areas.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic's two-year registered veterinary technologist program will begin allowing students this fall to the course remotely and complete the program at a partnering clinical practice with local veterinarians in rural areas. The Province is providing $687,000 to go towards the development and operating costs.

Graduating veterinarians and veterinary technologists who choose to work in rural and remote communities for up to five years, will also have up to $20,000 of their Saskatchewan Student Loans forgiven.

Agriculture Minister David Marit says veterinarians and veterinary technologists play an integral role in protecting the health and productivity of Saskatchewan's livestock herd.

"The measures announced today will ensure producers have access to their important services which will help achieve our Growth Plan goal of increasing livestock cash receipts to $3 billion by 2030."

Included in the Province's incentives, three of the 20 seats funded by the Government at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine will prioritize admission of students who are more likely to work in a large animal and/or rural mixed animal practice.

Arnold Balicki, Chair of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association says the steps the government is taking are very welcome in ensuring cattle producers have access to veterinary services across Saskatchewan.

"The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association has been talking about the challenge of diminished rural veterinary services for years. One step we took is the preceptorship partnership with Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association to help third-year students try out practices in rural Saskatchewan. "

He notes this is so important to animal health and welfare and public good as our animal health status is connected to our overall health.