JUNE 2023 THE RIDER/ 9 INSIDE


Veterinary Shortage.......................9 WHAO ........................................10 Steel City Spin ...............................10


Fitness for Riders ........................12 OTRA News................................12 We Can Hustle Column...............13 Introducing Best Braid ................14 ORCHA News .............................15


Province addresses veterinary shortage, updates Veterinarians’ Act


By Bill Groenheide, Direc- tor, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Together with Ontario


livestock organizations, the Ontario Federation of Agri- culture (OFA) has identified the critical shortage of vet- erinarians, especially those active in large animal medi- cine, as one of the biggest problems facing farmers in this province. Veterinarians play a


critical role in promoting and protecting livestock health, and limited veteri- nary capacity ultimately leaves people, animals and our food system at risk. That’s why the recent an- nouncement by the provin- cial government,


they’re funding expanded access to veterinary care in remote and northern Ontario communities, is such wel- come news to farmers. It’s particularly excit-


ing for those of us who farm in the north. My family and I raise livestock and run a freezer meat business near Thunder Bay, and I know first-hand how challenging it is for farmers in this part of Ontario to access veteri- nary services – and for vet- erinarians to provide the care that livestock need. Northern


Ontario


spans a vast area, and with both farmers and veterinari- ans spread out widely across the region, it’s not uncom- mon, for example, for a vet- erinarian in New Liskeard to serve a farmer in Cochrane, which is a two-hour drive away.


The newly announced


partnership between the On- tario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph and Lakehead University in Thunder Bay will expand its program to train more vet- erinarians and offer a new provincial grant program for recent graduates that will provide incentives to work or establish practices in un- derserviced areas such as rural, northern and remote communities. These types of invest-


ments are critical to making our region an attractive des- tination for young people, businesses and families to live and work, and to help the growing agriculture sec- tor in northern Ontario real- ize its untapped potential. In addition to expand-


ing funding and support for veterinary services,


the


provincial government has also announced a consulta- tion to modernize the Veteri- narians Act. This is the legislation that governs the practice of veterinary medi- cine in Ontario, and sets the framework for veterinary li- censing, accreditation, and


erinarians and access to vet- erinary care. The provincial govern-


oversight. It’s the first substantial


review of the Act in 30 years, and the government is proposing changes in four key areas: scope of practice, oversight and authority, quality assurance and the complaints and resolutions process. The practice of vet- erinary medicine


has that


evolved significantly over the past few decades requir- ing modernization of regu- lations to better reflect today’s practices. Under the current Act,


only a licensed veterinarian can engage in the practice of veterinary medicine, and the legislation requires clarity on what is and is not within their scope of practice. The newly proposed


scope would provide an up- dated definition for the prac- tice of veterinary medicine and would include provi-


sions for other veterinary professionals including vet- erinary technicians, Regis- tered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs), and veterinary tech- nologists. A list of accepted activities performed by vet- erinarians and veterinary professionals along with those that can be delegated are also part of the proposed changes. OFA has been a long-


time advocate of expanding the use of veterinary profes- sionals, such as RVTs, to provide specific services to decrease the demand on vet- erinarians, help increase ac- cess to essential medical care, and help reduce the costs of animal health serv- ices to farmers. We believe in a whole-healthcare ap- proach to animal care, with competent professionals working together to address the critical shortage of vet-


ment discussion paper de- tailing the proposed changes is open for comment until May 30, and OFA will be submitting a response on be- half of the farming sector. This response document will be available on the OFA website once it has been fi- nalized and submitted. While modernizing the


Veterinarians Act is an im- portant step forward in ad- dressing the critical shortage of veterinarians in Ontario, it is important that farmers, stakeholders, government, academia and veterinarians work collaboratively to find solutions to this ongoing challenge. Timely access to veterinarians and essential medial services for livestock is paramount to a successful agri-food system. For more information,


contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communica- tions and Stakeholder Rela- tions, Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 tyler.brooks@ofa.on.ca


Rockton


Saddle Club Promoting Horse and


Horsemanship in the Community Start time 10:00 am


Saturday, May 6 • Saturday, June 10 • July 8 • Saturday, August 12 • Saturday, September 9


Horse show to be held at the Rockton Fair Grounds. Start time, 10 am for both rings.


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Hepburn Sales Part Store is now offering WeatherTech mats, truck accessories, trailer & RV parts and much more!


Representing Hawk Trailers Canada Wide


With 26 standard models and unlimited "no charge" custom designs.


For up to the minute detailed inventory, pics, prices & payments visit www.hepburnsales.com • Hwy 9 Schomberg, ON • 905-939-2279


Ayr, Ontario


Protecting Farmland ....................15 ORHA News................................16 Between the Ears.........................17 OCHA News ...............................18 CRHRA News .............................19


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