Evolving Public Health Requirements Prompt Adjustments in Research Schedules

Farmscape for November 5, 2021

The Past-Chair of Swine Innovation Porc reports, while evolving public health requirements resulting from COVID have altered research schedules, all projects are expected to continue until completion.
Swine Innovation Porc, Canada's national research partnership involving the Canadian Pork Council, the provincial pork organizations and the federal and provincial governments, released its 2020-2021 annual report last month.
Stewart Cressman, the Past-Chair of Swine Innovation Porc says protocols to reduce the spread of COVID have presented a challenge for staff.

Clip-Stewart Cressman-Swine Innovation Porc:
Each of the research institutions responded to the initial first wave slightly differently and some shut down research entirely.
Others paused any future research but continued any phases that had already started so there was a staggered approach.
What it basically has meant is that some of the projects have been delayed to a degree in completion but all the researchers have assured us that they can complete the projects in the timeframe that has been given and we've extended by three months the ability to complete and send in their final reports.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada was gracious enough to take money that normally would haven been spent in the year that was completed this last April and transferred into subsequent years because the research activity was not occurring to the extent that was originally planned and, as such the money wouldn't have been used and potentially lost to research.

Cresssman notes in response to both the first and second waves of COVID, researchers with the different institutions have worked together to help move projects forward.
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Bruce Cochrane.


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