The Colorado Department of Agriculture announced Monday that Dr. Maggie Baldwin was appointed State Veterinarian.
Baldwin replaces Dr. Keith Roehr, who will retire in May. 1
Baldwin will lead CDA’s animal health department by planning, directing and executing all programs, policies and collaborative arrangements with other government agencies.
Dr. Maggie Baldwin
Implementing safe food supply plans and contingency plans, improved animal disease traceability, education and solid stakeholder engagement are among Baldwin’s priorities for this position. She also makes history as the first state veterinarian in Colorado.
“Maggie has proven time and again that she knows about crisis management, the complexities of animal diseases and excellence for the veterinary profession,” said Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg. “Coloradoans will benefit from the skills and dedication Maggie brings to the people and animals of our state.”
Baldwin joined the Animal Health Division of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in January 2017, focusing on emergency response, incident management, and outreach. She served as a veterinarian for traceability in epidemiology and most recently as an Assistant State Veterinarian in Colorado. This role focused on emergency management and disease response activities, overall management of departmental activities, and supporting the mission of the animal health department.
“Maggie has been a valued and growing addition to CDA’s animal health division and to our farm producers since she began her initial role in developing contingency plans with us,” said Roehr. “It has earned the respect it deserves from veterinarians, emergency services, animal producers and much more. I am delighted that Colorado veterinary medicine will be in such capable hands. “
In her previous roles at CDA, Dr. Baldwin worked closely with a variety of complex animal disease responses, including a trace of tuberculosis in cattle, an investigation into traces of infectious anemia in horses, the largest vesicular stomatitis outbreak in the state’s history, and more recently the introduction of rabbit hemorrhagic Type 2 virus, a new disease in rabbits.
“I grew up with a love for the land and my community and a passion for animals and agriculture that has been and remains a driving force in my career,” said Baldwin. “I am honored to lead our Animal Health Department in this new role and continue to support a strong Colorado farming community.”
In addition to fighting animal diseases, Baldwin has played an important emergency management role for CDA and the state over the past year as he has been closely involved with all hazard incidents, including many major forest fires and the state’s COVID-19 response. She was named Veterinarian of the Year 2020 by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association in recognition of her relentless efforts, unparalleled enthusiasm, and outstanding service to the veterinary profession and the entire state of Colorado during a difficult year as Assistant State Veterinarian.
Baldwin earned her DVM from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine at St. Paul. She began her public service career as a public health supervisory veterinarian with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and as a veterinarian with the USDA Animal and Phytosanitary Inspection Service.
Baldwin grew up in a small town in rural west Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota, Morris before entering veterinary school. An avid reader and member of a local book club, she loves spending time with her husband and two sons on their small hobby farm near Johnstown, Colorado.
