AR SB476

Establishes the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program administered by the Department of Agriculture, funded by the Agri Scholarship Program Fund, to encourage veterinarians to practice in rural Arkansas communities with populations under 40,000.

Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship recipients must complete veterinary medicine degree programs with advanced training in public health, livestock biosecurity, and foreign animal disease diagnosis, plus complete an externship with a licensed veterinarian in rural Arkansas.

Recipients must engage in full-time veterinary practice in eligible rural Arkansas counties or food-animal practices for at least 12 continuous months per year of scholarship received; failure to comply requires repayment of awarded funds plus interest at prime rate plus 2% compounded annually.

Creates the Agri Scholarship Program administered by the Department of Agriculture for students seeking agriculture-related degrees, with an Agri Scholarship Program Fund consisting of grants, gifts, donations, and up to $30,000 annually from the Veterinary Examiners Board Fund.

Modifies Plant Board Fund distribution to direct 40% of civil penalties exceeding $1,000 to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service for the Agri Scholarship Program, with the remaining 60% funding the Arkansas State Plant Board Scholarship program.