Carleton AgriSolutions, a Hartland N.B., based company, says it will take over veterinary services to New Brunswick farmers on April 1, 2027, after the the public program ends. The company will offer services for dairy and meat cattle, poultry birds, pigs, sheep, goats, bees, foxes, mink, meat rabbits, llamas, alpacas and horses. “Our goal is simple: to build a strong, sustainable service model that meets the needs of the people and animals who depend on it,” said Peter Carpenter, Carleton AgriSolution’s vice president of sales and marketing. But the veterinary services aren’t certain yet – 17 vets have signed memorandums of understanding with the company, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll stay. “No one’s going to sign and say, yeah, we’re definitely coming to work for you until they know the whole process. And we can’t wait to February to make an announcement, it’s not fair to industry,” said Carpenter. “So, we want to get it out that this is what we’re looking at doing, what we’re collaborating on and that everybody’s intention is to get there.” Meanwhile the provincial government has announced it will continue providing veterinary and foreign animal disease lab services and give $1.7 million in funding towards travel expenses for veterinary services for food and fur producers. It’s also providing funding for professional development, retention and recruitment of large-animal veterinarians serving food producers. But that means instead of saving roughly $4 million as previously planned, the province will likely only save about $1.8 million according to Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Pat Finnigan. “It was not about cost saving at the end of the day, it was to find a way to make it more efficient, to make it more responsive to the needs of the agriculture sector,” he said. The province announced the plan to end provincial veterinary services in its March budget, amidst promises of “difficult decisions” to cut down on growing provincial deficits. Meanwhile, agricultural representatives said Carleton AgriSolution’s announcement is a move in the right direction, even if it’s not yet guaranteed. “Under Carleton AgriSolutions, veterinary care will remain accessible to farms of every size. Geography will not determine whether a livestock owner can get a vet to come in an emergency. Farm size will not determine whether veterinary care is affordable,” said Danielle Connell, president of the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick. Many livestock owners are breathing a sigh of relief after months of worrying about their animal’s future. “I’m very encouraged. I’ll be honest, the last six months have been a discouraging time,” said Trevor Welch, the chair of the New Brunswick Cattle Producers Association. Even with the uncertainties that remain, Welch is hopeful about Carleton AgriSolution’s ability to provide the services. “I’m optimistic and as confident as I can be, mainly because I know they’re a conscientious group and they want to make this work,” he said. And as services move to the private sector, Connell said animal owners are prepared to pay more. But she said there’s an incentive for Carleton AgriSolution to keep costs affordable. “If they charge too much, no one will call. If they charge too much, we’ll have dead animals, and that’s not good for their business,” she said. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
