STATEMENT OF HON. D. R. (BILLY) MATTHEWS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA Mr. MATTHEWS. Mr. Chairman, recent, careful surveys of veterinary needs in Florida and in the United States stress the urgency of increasing the number of qualified veterinarians as quickly as possible. The American Veterinary Medical Association has indicated that 17.5 veterinarians are necessary to properly supply "quality" food and related needs for each 100,000 persons in the United States. Statistics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimate current losses from animals and poultry diseases at $1.6 billion, parasites at $340 million, and insects, at more than $880 million, or more than a total of $2.8 billion in losses annually. Dairymen lose $500 million to diseases and parasites. About twothirds of these losses are due to mastitis-a cost of $18 per cow per year. Swine producers lose $300 million per year more than 25 percent of pigs farrowed die in their first few days of life. Beef cattle producers lose $9 per head annually. Diseases take $300 million, parasites another $200 million, and insects another $500 million. Broiler losses run to 3 to 5 percent of all chicks hatched. Diseases cut egg production 10 percent. Accordingly, I introduced H.R. 6087, a bill to authorize a 3-year program for construction of veterinary medical education facilities, the training of veterinary medical personnel, and other purposes. Similar bills have been introduced by several of my colleagues who also recognize the great need for expanded facilities for the training of veterinarians. Though I am more familiar with the Florida needs with respect to qualified veterinarians and research in the field of veterinary medicine and shall address myself to these needs, may I point out, Mr. Chairman, that Florida's needs are but a reflection of those on a national scale. Two years ago the Florida Veterinary Medical Association reviewed factors influencing the present and future needs for veterinarians in our State. These included recognition of the fact that Florida is one of the fastest growing States, now ninth in population; that the income growth from agricultural products exceeds the national rate; and that projected plans for future agricultural expansion and development require an adequate number of veterinarians to assure the highest economic returns for our livestock and poultry producers. Florida's annual estimated disease losses as presented in a report by the agricultural experiment station of the University of Florida, known as the DARE report, are: This represents approximately 20 percent of the gross sales from animals and poultry. Factors contributing to an increased demand for veterinary services include increased population (human and animal), livestock prices, farm income per population, national income, fee structures, Government health services, and new specialized fields for veterinarians. The U.S. population increased from 151 million in 1950 to 192 million in 1964, a 27-percent increase, averaging 1.8 percent per year. Veterinary numbers are projected to increase at a rate of only 0.8 percent until 1975-between there and 1980 the total number will actually begin to decline, unless present veterinary colleges are expanded and new ones are established." The veterinary profession recognizes its responsibilities and obligations with those in human health: 1. Eradication, control, or treatment of the zoonoses diseases transmitted from animals to man. These include rabies, psittacosis, salmonellosis, tuberculosis, parasitic infection. 2. Health and care of animals used for research in current studies in comparative cardiology, cancer, diseases of man, connective tissue diseases, metabolism; infectious diseases undoubtedly will yield results of real importance. 3. Comparative medical research. 4. Development and use of drugs and biologicals in the prevention and treatment of diseases of domestic and pet animals, their adaptation for human disease studies. 5. Inspection of food, meat, milk, poultry, to provide health, wholesome food. 6. Research on animals and their diseases for space exploration. America, and especially Florida, has become an urban society and can afford to own pets and provide them with veterinary services. The pet population is increasing at a rate of 1 million animals annually. The proportion of pets receiving veterinary care, now at 15 to 20 percent, is also rising rapidly. In 1962, about 200 veterinarians were engaged in laboratory animal care, while in 1965 the number had increased to 475. It is expected that by 1975 the number may equal those in large animal practice. Predictions were made at a land-grant college association meeting in 1963 to the effect that by 1980 an additional 4,000 veterinarians would be necessary for governmental services: 800 for animal disease control and eradication, 1,200 for meat and poultry inspection, 300 for research, and an additional 1,700 for other divisions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was estimated that by 1980 the United States would need at least 40,000, whereas we have only 23,667 at present. There were only 18 schools of veterinary medicine in the United States in 1963. Entrance requirements at these schools vary, but generally are based on 2 years of preveterinary medicine education at a college, university, or junior college. This is followed by 8 semesters of professional study for graduation and the conferring of the DVM degree. In addition to courses in the biological and the medical sciences, veterinary medicine includes considerable practical experience in treatment of and surgery on animals. We have no veterinary medical school in Florida at this time but the Florida State Veterinary Medical Association is pushing forward as vigorously as possible toward the establishment of a College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The Southern Regional Education Board provides for professional education in several fields of higher education including veterinary medicine. By legislative authority, the State of Florida has a compact with the Southern Regional Education Board for the training of Florida students in veterinary medicine, for which compensation is provided by the State. However, many qualified Florida students cannot now attend a veterinary college because of limited quotas. Fewer than 50 percent of those who receive training under the regional education plan return to Florida to practice. The Federal Government which has so wisely provided for grants in aid for construction of hospitals and needed campus facilities to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population would be acting in the national interest to provide grants for construction of veterinary medical education facilities and for the training of veterinary medical personnel, as suggested in H.R. 6087. I respect fully urge this great committee to give this proposal its most attentive consideration. Mr. JARMAN. Thank you, Mr. Matthews. Are there any questions? If not, we shall hear next from the Honorable Arnold Olsen, of Montana. STATEMENT OF HON. ARNOLD OLSEN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MONTANA Mr. OLSEN. Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you for the opportunity to present my views on behalf of H.R. 490, authorizing construction of veterinary medical schools. As you know, my State of Montana has considerable investment in the beef industry. There is continuous concern and difficulty in acquiring adequate veterinary assistance for the inspection of meat and for the practitioners in certain areas. This bill would be of great assistance to fill this need. I request that the letter of Mr. Ralph Miracle, secretary of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Inc., be included in the record at this point. I wish to add my recommendations with those of Mr. Miracle and the Montana stockgrowers-that H.R. 490 receive your favorable consideration. (The letter referred to follows:) MONTANA STOCKGROWERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Hon. ARNOLD OLSEN, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. CHAIRMAN HARRIS: It is our understanding that your sub-committee on Public Health and Welfare plans a hearing on H.R. 490 and related bills authorizing construction of veterinary medical schools. It will be apreciated if you would advise the sub-committee that the beef cattle industry in Montana is quite seriously concerned about the present and future need for personnel with education in veterinary medicine. We need men for meat inspection, for regulation, administrative positions and also need practitioners in some areas. We have laws requiring the meat inspection to protect the public health. We have laws requiring protection of the industry in our state from disease. And we need professional services in the veterinary field to maintain efficient and economic production. At present these positions go begging and the future looks even more alarming. There are only a few colleges (18) of veterinary medicine in the country and only two of these are easily available to us here in Montana. Only a few applicants can get into these colleges and universities at the present time. Current and future needs for veterinarians require that the present facilities be enlarged and that new ones be built. We especially need more facilities in our general area. The initial support must be a federal responsibility and can best be acccomplished by passage of the Veterinary Educational Facilities Construction Act. Thank you for your help and consideration of this matter. Sincerely yours, RALPH MIRACLE, Secretary. Mr. JARMAN. Thank you for presenting your views, Mr. Olsen. Mr. JARMAN. If there are no questions, we shall proceed to hear our colleague from Kansas, Chester Mize. STATEMENT OF HON. CHESTER L. MIZE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF KANSAS, PRESENTED IN CONCURRENCE WITH HON. ROBERT DOLE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF KANSAS Mr. MIZE. Mr. Chairman, members of the Public Health and Welfare Subcommittee of the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, permit me to say how pleased I am that you are considering H.R. 490 and related bills to provide veterinary medical education facilities. You will recall, I am sure, that early last year, shortly after the introduction of this legislation, the members of the Kansas delegation in the House signed a joint letter to the chairman in support of a resolution which has been adopted by the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association. I feel it is appropriate to repeat the language of that resolution at this point: Whereas, a bill, entitled "Veterinary Medical Education Facilities Construction Act of 1965" has been introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R. 490) by the Honorable Robert L. Leggett of California and (H.R. 3348) by the Honorable George Andrews of Alabama and a similar bill has been introduced in the United States Senate by the Honorable Lister Hill of Alabama (S. 509). Whereas, we recognize the important contribution Veterinary Medicine is making to the economy and welfare of all citizens of the United States, Whereas, we recognize that the increased demand for veterinary services and research necessitates the expansion and improvement of existing educational facilities for the training of veterinary medical personnel, Whereas, we recognize that steadily increasing tuition fees and increasing contributions from private citizens, state appropriations and funds from the veterinary medical profession itself have proven insufficient to provide the necessary capital funds required for expansion and improvement of teaching facilities for veterinary medical personnel, Therefore, be it resolved, that we, the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, acting in general session, strongly support these bills and urge that each member of the Kansas Congressional delegation indicate his support of these bills. The representatives should be urged to introduce bills identical to H.R. 490 and H.R. 3348. Each Senator should be urged to direct a memorandum to the Honorable Senator Lister Hill in support of S. 509 since that bill has already been referred to Committee, Be it further resolved that our executive secretary, in addition to implementing the above action, should direct this resolution to the Honorable Representatives Robert Leggett and George Andrews and the Honorable Senator Lister Hill indicating our strong support for these bills. We, in Kansas, have long seen the importance of training competent graduate veterinarians. The necessity of protecting the animals' health of the Nation by training students in animal disease courses, sanitation, and hygiene was recognized very early by Kansas State University administrators and livestock growers in Kansas. Therefore, veterinary courses were introduced at Kansas State University in 1868, and from this beginning, the college of veterinary medicine was established formally in 1905. At this time it was organized as a department of veterinary medicine in the school of agriculture, offering a 4-year professional degree curriculum leading to the degree doctor of veterinary medicine. The first class to be graduated was in 1907, and since then over 2,100 men and women have been granted similar degrees. These individuals are practicing their profession in virtually all States of the Union and in many foreign countries. But as Dr. James McCain, president of Kansas State University, has pointed out in a recent letter to the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, the demands for veterinarians today far exceed the supply and shortages in the field are growing from year to year. Dr. McCain stated that Kansas State University, as 1 of the 19 schools in the country to have a college of veterinary medicine, must turn away approximately four-fifths of the students who want to enter the college of veterinary medicine. At the present time there are 400 preveterinary students enrolled in the university, but the college will only be able to accept 80 of these in any one year. Dr. McCain, feels, and I agree, the additional facilities which will be provided by the legislation under consideration would enable Kansas State University, as well as the other colleges of veterinary medicine, to enlarge their enrollments and accommodate more of the students who are needed as veterinarians not only in the country's livestock industry but also in food inspection and other other types of regulatory services for the protection of human health as well as animal health. Unless something is done to enlarge the training facilities for veterinarians, the country will face a serious shortage by 1975. This legislation offers a course of action which will prevent such a shortage. I respect fully join in recommending full and complete hearings and prompt action in the public interest. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, let it be stated for the record that Congressman Robert Dole of the First District of Kansas joins me in this statement to the subcommittee. Mr. JARMAN. Thank you for your presentation, Mr. Mize. At this point in the record I would like to submit the statement of the American Public Health Association, as presented by Dr. B. F. Mattison, executive director of the association. (The statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION The American Public Health Association is pleased to join with the sponsors of this proposed Veterinary Medical Educational Facilities Construction Act and with others in strengthening this often times overlooked health specialty. |