Monday, Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine hosted Governor Terry E. Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, members and leadership of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association for the signing of a proclamation announcing 2013 as the "Year of the Veterinarian" in Iowa. This year marks the 150th anniversary of organized veterinary medicine that began with the founding of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The proclamation acknowledged the critical role of veterinarians in Iowa, many trained at Iowa State, from the practitioner who tends to the family pet or the farm's livestock, to the veterinarian who protects the nation's food supply and public health.
After the ceremony, Branstad and Reynolds toured the small and large animal hospitals, plus the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab.
The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory serves Iowa's $12.5 billion animal agriculture industry by providing access to timely, high-quality testing on 50,000-plus cases per year from livestock producers and consumers submitted through their veterinarian. This testing stops the entry and spread of disease between farms and assures access to critical domestic and foreign markets.
Did you know? Iowa State's College of Veterinary Medicine is the first public veterinary school in the country and is one of only 28 U.S. veterinary colleges. 81% of Iowa's practicing licensed veterinarians are graduates of Iowa State University. |
