The California Farm Bureau is calling attention to a shortage of food-animal veterinarians that continues to challenge livestock producers. “California agriculture depends on a strong network of veterinarians who care for livestock and food animals, yet too many rural communities struggle to access these critical services,” California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass said in a statement. “Food-animal veterinarians are indispensable partners in agriculture. They are there for routine herd health, emergency calls in the middle of the night, difficult calving situations, disease diagnosis, vaccination protocols and animal welfare oversight. Their work protects not only the health of individual animals but also the health of entire herds and the safety of our food supply.” Farm Bureau has partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to gather feedback via a survey about the issue from farmers and ranchers, which may be used to support participation in a federal student loan forgiveness program for veterinarians who commit to serving in certain areas.