Notice of Public Comment Period

Dear Members,
Last week, the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Examining Committee and the Arkansas Board of Animal Health officially voted to open the public comment period for proposed amendments to the Veterinary Medicine Rules (17 CAR Pt. 1). Decisions made during this 30-day window will directly impact how you practice.

To safeguard our profession, the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association (ArVMA) has appointed a dedicated Ad Hoc Task Force to draft Practice Act and Rule revisions focused on reestablishing regulatory autonomy and productive enforcement authority. ArVMA will be submitting comprehensive feedback on behalf of our state's active veterinary community—but to represent you effectively, we want to hear from each of you directly.

There are two avenues to ensure your perspective is included:

1. Submit Directly to ArVMA (Recommended for Unified Impact):
   Share your feedback through our ArVMA Survey no later than Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. This deadline ensures association leadership has the necessary time to compile, review, and integrate your critical insights into our unified submission before the state’s September 15 deadline.
    

2. Submit Directly to the Department of Agriculture:
   You should have already received an email notice from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture regarding these proposed rules. You may reply directly to the Department with your individual comments via email to rule.comments@arkansas.gov

Review the Proposed Rules Today
Please do not leave these crucial decisions to chance. We urge every Arkansas veterinarian to review the full scope of the proposed changes:

👉 Access the Complete Proposed Rule Amendments Here

Your Profession, Your Voice
This rule-making process directly affects your daily operations, practice standards, and professional autonomy. Every single response strengthens our collective advocacy.

Please take a few moments to review the draft rules and share your opinion via our survey by September 1 at 5:00 p.m. Together, we will ensure the future of veterinary medicine in Arkansas is shaped by those who know it best.

Thank you, 

John G. Nilz, DVM
Practitioner/Retired State Veterinarian
Chair, ArVMA Ad Hoc Task Force