USDA revamps student loans to aid meat inspections

Veterinarians working in meat plants and food safety roles for the U.S. Department of Agriculture may now qualify for up to $60,000 in student loan repayment thanks to an updated incentive program designed to recruit and keep much-needed professionals in the field.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently reissued its Student Loan Repayment Program for in-plant veterinarians, clarifying who’s eligible and making the process easier to understand. The updated version, issued in June 2025, allows qualified veterinarians to receive up to $10,000 a year toward their student loans for three years — and even reapply for a second three-year term, for a total of six years and $60,000 in assistance.

Previously, the USDA has struggled to retain sufficient veterinarians to staff in-plant food safety roles, especially in rural and remote areas. These veterinarians, or Veterinary Medical Officers and District Veterinary Medical Officers, are responsible for making sure America’s meat, poultry, and egg products are safe to eat. The work is hard, the hours long, and veterinary school debt staggering.

This program is designed to make the job more appealing by helping veterinarians pay down their student loans while they work in these mission-critical roles. Each year, during a designated application window, interested veterinarians can submit two simple forms along with their loan documents. Applicants are asked to notify their supervisors, who submit a recommendation as part of the process.

If accepted, the veterinarian signs a three-year service agreement promising to stay with FSIS for the full period. Once that’s done, FSIS will make annual payments of up to $10,000 per year directly to the loan company.

To qualify, a veterinarian must:

• Be a full-time, permanent employee in an FSIS plant or district assignment.
• Be in good standing, meaning no recent disciplinary actions and a strong performance rating.
• Be the person who holds the student loan (not a parent loan or a loan taken for someone else).
• Have a loan that’s eligible under federal guidelines — such as Direct Loans, Perkins Loans, or certain health education loans.

New hires are eligible to apply as well, as long as they meet the criteria.

Veterinarians who’ve already completed one three-year agreement can apply again, but they must go through the application process each time.

The revised version of the program also includes good news for those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness. FSIS can now make a one-time lump-sum payment toward those loans, which could cover several months’ worth of future payments in advance. This is especially helpful for those working toward the 120 qualifying payments required under PSLF.