On Thursday, Aprl 23, 2015, The Maryland Department of Agriculture announced that Secretary Joe Bartenfelder has promoted Maryland Department of Agriculture Field Veterinarian Michael Radebaugh, VMD to State Veterinarian, a position that was left vacant after the retirement of Dr. Guy Hohenhaus about a year ago.
“The State Veterinarian is an extremely important and challenging position, responsible for safeguarding animal health and the economic security of our animal industries,” said Secretary Bartenfelder. “I am very pleased to appoint Dr. Radebaugh, who has a long and vast array of experiences in the field as well as an obvious dedication to Maryland agriculture.”
Dr. Radebaugh is the fourth out of the last five generations in his family to be working in agriculture. He has been a field veterinarian with MDA on the Eastern Shore and in Southern Maryland since 2011 where he was responsible for all regulatory, emergency and other service operations in the region. He has also served as an advisor on poultry health and poultry regulatory programs, particularly avian influenza. Dr. Radebaugh has more than 41 years experience in the veterinary field, including 34 years as a large animal veterinarian. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s degree in Dairy Sciences and earned his VMD at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia.
“I sincerely thank Dr. N. Jo Chapman, assistant chief of Animal Health, who has served as Acting State Veterinarian during the interim,” said Secretary Bartenfelder. “Dr. Chapman’s willingness to step up to lead the state’s animal health program during a very busy last year is a tribute to her dedication to Maryland agriculture.”
MDA’s Animal Health Program works to prevent and control infectious and contagious diseases in Maryland livestock and poultry with particular emphasis on those diseases that threaten public health, endanger food supplies or threaten the economic security of the animal industries. In addition to a sizeable field staff, the section also has two veterinary diagnostic laboratories, one in Salisbury and one in Frederick.
The Equiery tips its hat to Dr. Radebaugh, who is willing to take on the top vet job in the state on the heels of an EHV-1 outbreak! It’s not like he doesn’t know what he is getting into!
