Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association

Name

Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association

Legal name

Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association

Website

https://www.vbma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association is a 2002-founded professional membership association serving approximately 220 veterinarians and herbalists with peer-reviewed journal publication, continuing education webinars and teleseminars, professional certification, and a pet owner practitioner directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Continuing Education

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Telemedicine & Virtual Care Platforms (HLAMAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Veterinary Telehealth Marketplaces (HLALALAM)

Keywords

• Veterinary botanical medicine
• Professional association services
• Veterinary continuing education
• Herbal medicine certification
• Peer-reviewed veterinary journals

Headquarters

HQ city

Acworth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to member-only content, free teleseminar recordings, discounted webinar pricing, and other member benefits. Membership categories include veterinary professionals, new graduates, veterinary students, and non-veterinary professionals.
2. Educational Content Sales: Sale of teleseminar audio recordings ($95 non-members), webinar video recordings ($75-120), and conference lecture recordings at various price points. All teleseminar recordings are free for members.
3. Journal of Veterinary Botanical Medicine: Biannual publication available free to members; non-members can purchase individual issues for $10 each. The journal contains case studies, herbal monographs, recipes, and book reviews.
4. Journal Advertising: Advertising options in the Journal of Veterinary Botanical Medicine including text listings ($35), quarter page ($75), half page ($150), full page ($300), and advertorials ($300/page).
5. Conference Registrations: Revenue from VBMA/ACVBM annual conference registrations with pricing tiers for members and non-members, ranging from $175-425 depending on package.
6. Certification Fees: Revenue from VBMA Herbalist Certification exam fees for veterinarians (Certified Veterinary Herbalist) and non-veterinary herbalists (Certified Veterinary Herbalism Educator).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association is a professional membership association that provides education, certification, and community for veterinary professionals integrating herbal medicine into animal care. Its core offerings include the biannual peer-reviewed Journal of Veterinary Botanical Medicine, an extensive Learning Library of teleseminar audio recordings, webinar video recordings, and conference lecture recordings, plus Certified Veterinary Herbalist (CVH) and Certified Veterinary Herbalism Educator (CVHE) certification programs. Membership delivers free access to teleseminar recordings, member-only peer consultation via an Herbal Wiki Index, discounted webinar pricing, and a public-facing practitioner directory for pet owners.

Product overview

The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association (VBMA) is a professional association offering a portfolio of educational products and services for veterinary herbal medicine. The core offerings include the Journal of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (JVBMA), a biannual peer-reviewed publication, alongside an extensive Learning Library containing 20 teleseminar audio recordings, 19 webinar video recordings, and conference lecture recordings. The association provides professional certification (CVH/CVHE) for veterinary herbalists, operates a Find a Veterinarian directory service, and organizes educational EcoTours, annual Herbwalks, and a mentor program. VBMA members receive free access to teleseminar recordings and the members-only website with peer consultation features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Journal of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (JVBMA) Biannual peer-reviewed journal containing case studies, herbal monographs, recipes, book reviews, and event synopses related to veterinary botanical medicine. Available free to VBMA members; non-members can purchase individual issues for $10 each. Advertising is also offered (text listings from $35, quarter page $75, half page $150, full page $300, advertorials $300/page).
• VBMA Webinar Video Recordings Video recordings of educational webinars covering herbal medicine, oncology, dermatology, and integrative veterinary care topics. Purchases include the live webinar plus unlimited online access to the recording. Priced at $75 for VBMA members and $120 for non-members per recording, with a bundled member-plus-webinar price of $160.
• VBMA Teleseminar Audio Recordings Audio recordings of teleseminars on veterinary herbal medicine topics including cancer treatment, food therapy, and the evidence base for veterinary herbal medicine. Free for VBMA members; $95 for non-members per recording (some titles priced at $50 for members).
• VBMA Annual Conference Recordings Recorded lecture sessions from VBMA/ACVBM annual conferences featuring expert speakers on botanical medicine topics such as Cherokee Medicine, GI issues, oncology, dermatology, and integrative practice. Includes slides, notes, chat logs, and attendee interaction access (2020 package $300; individual lecture series $80-$190; 2024 full set $195 members / $250 non-members).
• VBMA Herbalist Certification (CVH / CVHE) Professional certification program offering the Certified Veterinary Herbalist (CVH) credential for veterinarians and the Certified Veterinary Herbalism Educator (CVHE) credential for non-veterinary herbalists. Requires passing a 100-200 question exam and submitting case reports, establishing formal competency benchmarks in veterinary botanical medicine.
• Find a Veterinarian Practitioner Directory Free online directory connecting pet owners with VBMA member veterinarians in the United States and internationally who provide complementary and alternative treatments incorporating herbal medicine. Available at vbma.org with separate United States and international listings.
• VBMA EcoTours Educational eco-tour adventures offering professional collaboration, herb walks, and immersive botanical learning experiences in domestic and international destinations including Vermont, Scotland, Peru, Hawaii, and Oregon. Priced at $15 for VBMA members / $25 for non-members for the Annual Herbwalk component.
• VBMA Annual Herbwalk Annual in-person herbal education event held in conjunction with the American Holistic Veterinary Association (AHVMA) conference, providing hands-on botanical education and herb identification in the field. Priced at $15 for VBMA members / $25 for non-members.
• VBMA Mentor Program Structured mentorship program pairing aspiring veterinary herbalists with experienced practitioner mentors for guidance, case discussion, and practice observation opportunities. Active mentors include Dr. Stephen Tobin, Dr. Margo Roman, Dr. Cynthia Lankenau, and Dr. Marjorie Lewter.

Quantifiable outcome

• Journal published biannually with approximately 220 members receiving free access

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• International Herb SymposiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023VBMA participates in the International Herb Symposium with a dedicated Veterinary Track, providing educational content on topics such as microbiome modulation, functional mushrooms, and herbal treatments for pets.
• American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (ACVBM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVBMA and ACVBM jointly host annual conferences, combining educational programming. The ACVBM processes conference registrations and sponsors speakers at VBMA events. This partnership represents a core strategic alliance in the veterinary botanical medicine field.
• American Holistic Veterinary Association (AHVMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVBMA participates in the annual AHVMA conference with a dedicated speaker track and Annual Herbwalk event. The partnership provides VBMA visibility among holistic veterinary professionals and educational programming access.
• College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIVT is the world's first online college teaching integrative veterinary medicine, established in 2006 by veterinarians. VBMA board members serve as CIVT faculty members. VBMA promotes CIVT courses to members as practitioner training programs.
• Herbalist & AlchemistminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor of VBMA EcoTours, supporting educational travel programs for veterinary herbalists.
• Silk Road OilsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Support Sponsor of VBMA EcoTours.
• Real MushroomsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the 2024 VBMA EcoTour in Eugene, Oregon.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA): A US-based professional membership association for veterinarians practicing holistic and integrative medicine, including botanical, acupuncture, and chiropractic modalities. AHVMA is the broadest peer — same association model, overlapping member base, and a confirmed strategic partner of VBMA through co-located conferences and the Annual Herbwalk.
• American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (ACVBM): A veterinary organization focused specifically on botanical medicine education and credentialing. ACVBM is VBMA's closest direct counterpart and core co-host of the annual VBMA/ACVBM conference, with shared speaker pipelines and overlapping membership.
• College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT): An online college teaching integrative veterinary medicine, including botanical and herbal modules. CIVT is a strategic partner of VBMA, with VBMA board members serving as CIVT faculty and VBMA promoting CIVT courses to its members — making it a directly comparable practitioner-training peer.
• International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS): An international professional association providing certification and continuing education in veterinary acupuncture. IVAS mirrors VBMA's professional-association-plus-certification model in an adjacent integrative specialty, serving a similar member persona (veterinarians seeking specialty credentials).
• Chi University (formerly Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine): A leading provider of certification and continuing education in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, including herbal medicine components. Chi University competes for the same integrative-veterinarian audience and operates a similar certification-plus-content business model.
• American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (AAVA): A US-based professional association certifying veterinarians in veterinary acupuncture. AAVA parallels VBMA in structure — small professional association, certification program, conference-driven revenue, and continuing education in a specialized integrative modality.

Broad incumbents

• International Herb Symposium: A broader herbal medicine education event that has hosted a dedicated Veterinary Track with VBMA's participation. It serves a wider herbal practitioner audience rather than exclusively veterinarians, placing it as an adjacent incumbent in herbal education that overlaps at the event-programming level.

Others

• American Herbal Products Association (AHPA): A trade association for the herbal products industry that VBMA explicitly recommends its members engage with. AHPA is not a peer in continuing education but is an ecosystem partner — overlapping mission of advancing responsible herbal practice, but focused on manufacturers rather than practitioners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vetbotmed
• Facebookfacebook.com/VBMA-145268985568718
• Instagraminstagram.com/vetbotmed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association