Oregon is lagging most other states in veterinary education funding, spurring a proposal to spend $13.5 million on training and research at Oregon State University.

At $3.4 million, annual state funding for OSU’s veterinary college is $10 million below the national average, which means it ranks 31st out of 33 accredited U.S. institutions based on that measure.

“The university is under a challenge to meet all of our financial commitments to our students. As we’ve looked at the College of Veterinary Medicine, we are not meeting that commitment to our students under current state funding,” said Katie Fast, OSU’s executive director of government relations.

The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association says the “funding disparity” is placing a “significant strain” on the vet school’s “ability to attract and retain top faculty” and conduct research and training.

“Without increased state support, Oregon risks falling behind in veterinary education, limiting access to skilled professionals who are essential to animal health, public safety, and agricultural industries across the state,” according to OVMA’s submitted testimony.

House Bill 2167 would provide the university a shot in the arm by investing $10 million in education programs at its teaching hospital and $3.5 million in its veterinary diagnostics laboratory.

Supporters say the bill is necessary to strengthen the state’s veterinary workforce, which is scarce in several areas, and will provide a valuable return on investment a time when interest in such careers is growing.

Rural areas especially need more veterinarians to replace those who retire or move, said Wendy Krebs, a veterinarian in Bend, Ore. “Positions go unfilled for long periods or even permanently.”

The high cost of veterinary education is aggravating the problem in rural areas, which is why state funding is needed to fill the financial gap, she said during a recent legislative hearing.

“Tuition has already been raised to levels that result in student loan burdens that are crippling to new veterinarians, and force them to choose more lucrative positions in urban areas rather than serve the critical needs in rural areas,” Krebs said.

The federal government has formally designated Crook, Douglas, Klamath, Sherman, Tillamook and Umatilla counties as having a shortage of veterinarians, particularly those specializing in large animals who serve agriculture, according to OVMA.

“The shortage of veterinarians in our county can leave farmers without consistent access to professional care, potentially forcing them to navigate complex animal health issues on their own,” according to the Tillamook County Creamery Association.

The threat of zoonotic bacteria and viruses such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, which crossed from birds to mammals, also highlights the need to bolster OSU’s surveillance and diagnosis capacity, the association said.

For example, OSU’s veterinary diagnostics lab recently discovered the virus had infected a pig and a house cat, said Kurt Williams, the facility’s director.

“The work of the lab is crucial for protecting animals and humans from infectious disease,” said Williams.