Rural areas across the U.S. are facing an alarming shortage of food animal veterinarians, threatening food safety, public health, and rural economic growth. Through our new Veterinary Workforce Program, we commission academic research to surface solutions to this challenge, bring together coalitions of industry leaders and agricultural leaders, and meet with national-level policymakers to discuss the need for long-term change.

We partner with leading academic and nonprofit institutions to produce in-depth research on how to improve smallholder farming livelihoods and rural supply chains. We also make recommendations on how the U.S. government can improve policies to make global agricultural development investments more effective. In addition, we hold in-person and virtual events with leading experts to discuss rural development issues.

In 2023, we are launching a new program supported by the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort – this exciting work will will involve improving access to grazing resources for Native American farmers and ranchers. Working in partnership with the Intertribal Agriculture Council, Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, and the Yield Lab Institute, this work will to provide technical assistance, education, and direct payments to farmers to increase the adoption of climate-smart practices like rotational grazing and planting of native grasses.