The “all but promising” state of the Dutch pig industry is being felt by the country’s Swine Innovation Centre (SIC) Sterksel research unit which has already seen half its staff being “laid off” and is still waiting for clearance concerning its 2016 research programme.
SIC manager, Han Swinkels, reporting on a successful innovation event in mid-June, said that the “all but promising” state of Dutch pig farming was affecting the research budget with the halving on his centre’s staff in late June being due to a reduction in public/private research funding.
“Notwithstanding this, all our employees worked hard on the ongoing projects until the last day, contributing to the success of our 2015 innovation event,” he said.
“In addition, almost all the departing employees have already found new jobs in the Dutch pig industry so the things they’ve learned and the experience gained by these young professionals will remain in the sector.”
As for the future of SIC’s research, Mr Swinkels said it will become clear over the next few months “whether the public/private research programme will be prolonged in 2016 and thereafter”.