(1) To be eligible for funds under the program, an applicant shall:

(a) Be a graduate of an approved veterinary medical school;

(b) Be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this state;

(c) Enter into a contract with the department to provide full-time veterinary medicine services as a food supply animal veterinarian in a food supply animal veterinary practice or in a rural mixed animal veterinary practice for four years in one or more communities approved by the department; and

(d) Be accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services to provide services relating to food supply animals by the end of the first year of service.

(2) The department shall give preference for approving communities for purposes of subdivision (1)(c) of this section to communities located in areas designated by the department as shortage areas for food supply animal veterinary medical services. In designating such areas, the department may initially utilize shortage areas as designated by the American Veterinary Medical Association on July 18, 2008, and may revise designations as necessary and appropriate to achieve the purposes of the program.