Large animal veterinarians are increasingly difficult to find, yet they play a critical role in supporting local producers. I work closely with many veterinarians to help facilitate producer access.  These professionals already operate within a highly regulated environment and work tirelessly to remain available to producers.  They have the responsibility for issuing animal health certificates and the ability to conduct visual assessments of animal health.

Imposing additional regulations on this profession would not improve access to veterinary services. Instead, it would increase costs for both producers and veterinarians while creating further administrative and logistical barriers for practitioners who are already stretched thin. Such measures would hinder, rather than enhance, veterinary access and ultimately undermine livestock health efforts in Virginia. Faced with additional paperwork, time demands, and expenses, many veterinarians may choose to discontinue haul?in services altogether—defeating the very purpose of making these services more accessible.