Critical shortage of vets could threaten America’s food supply

(Aging Untold) — A silent crisis is unfolding across America’s heartland.The veterinarians tasked with protecting the nation’s livestock, and by extension, its food supply, are a dwindling force, creating a critical gap in the first line of defense against disease and food insecurity.For Dr. Rachel Miner, a mixed-animal veterinarian in eastern Kansas, a 60-mile drive to a farm call isn’t unusual. It has become a reality of the job. She treats everything from household pets to herds of 1,500 cattle, understanding that her work is about more than just animal welfare.“We’re not only taking care of the animal, but we’re providing for the industry,” Dr. Miner explains. “And the industry that is, supplies us, beef, pork, chicken, all those things.”But veterinarians like Dr. Miner are becoming increasingly rare. A 2023 Johns Hopkins report reveals a staggering statistic: since the end of World War II, the U.S. has lost 90% of its food-animal vets. The U.S. government has designated official “