Friday, July 13, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Signs Legislation Creating New Student Loan Program for Animal Agriculture
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today signed legislation creating a new student loan program to support Missouri's rich tradition of animal agriculture and help ensure Missouri's underserved areas have access to large animal veterinary care.
"It is important that we find innovative ways to support Missouri's agriculture community and future veterinarians," Gov. Blunt said. "The Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program will provide incentives for Missouri students entering the field of veterinary medicine to provide the large animal veterinary services needed by Missouri farm families in underserved areas across our state."
"In order to truly protect and grow the animal agriculture we depend on in Missouri, we simply must have more large animal veterinarians. Senate Bill 320 is the common sense answer to our shortage of these health specialists in the rural areas of our state. The MU vet school is one of our state's hidden jewels, and this scholarship program will go a long way to continuing their mission of educating and providing the best agriculture focused veterinarians in the country. I look forward to seeing future large animal veterinarians that benefited from these scholarships get out in the fields and help our farmers and ranchers," Sen. Dan Clemens said.
"It is important that we do everything we can to support Missouri agriculture; our state's largest industry. The health of our livestock sector is vitally important to our state's economy. As Director of Agriculture, one of my top priorities is to find new ways to support the next generation of agriculturalists. I thank Governor Blunt for signing this important legislation that will help to meet the growing demand for animal health expertise," Agriculture Director Katie Smith said.
Senate Bill 320, sponsored by Sen. Dan Clemens, creates the Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program. The loan program will make loans available to a maximum of six students per year who attend the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The loan program will also provide loan principal and interest forgiveness to recipients who practice large animal veterinary medicine in underserved areas of Missouri.
The Large Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Payment Fund is created for funding appropriated and donated to the Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program. This fund will be used for the student loans. The legislation also transfers the administration of the Large Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program to the Department of Agriculture from the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board.