The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has established the Rural Veterinarian Loan Repayment Incentive Program to help attract and retain rural veterinarians. The program will award four people who practice, or will practice, veterinary medicine in Iowa up to $25,000 in loan repayment incentives. IFBF will begin accepting applications in March. In 2020, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law that created the program to address the veterinarian shortage in rural Iowa communities identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Veterinarians are valuable partners for Iowa’s livestock farmers who prioritize the health and wellbeing of their animals,” Iowa Farm Bureau President Brent Johnson said in a prepared statement. “IFBF’s establishment of the Rural Veterinarian Loan Repayment Incentive Program will assist in addressing the veterinarian shortages in Iowa and guaranteeing future funding incentives, while also advancing the mission of Iowa Farm Bureau to support farm families and rural communities.” To learn more about the program, click here.