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Agroscope, the research institute for the Swiss agriculture and food sector, must cut costs and is therefore eliminating 58 positions. The federal agricultural research center is responding to a deficit of 10 million francs. (Archive)
Keystone
The cost-cutting mandates from the Federal Council and Parliament are having consequences for Swiss agricultural research: Agroscope is cutting 58 full-time positions. The measures directly affect 43 employees. At the same time, the research institute intends to focus more strongly on its core tasks.
Agroscope, the federal center of excellence for agricultural research, has announced the elimination of 58 full-time positions due to federal cost-cutting measures. The reason is a structural deficit of around 10 million Swiss francs, as the institute announced on Tuesday.
The job cuts are to be implemented as much as possible through natural attrition, unfilled positions, and fixed-term contracts. Nevertheless, 43 employees are affected by layoffs. The implementation will follow the federal government’s social plan.
The cost-cutting measures became necessary because Parliament and the Federal Council are cutting Agroscope’s budget by approximately 10 million Swiss francs through the end of 2029.
The institute plans to focus on its core tasks in the future, it added. These include research on primary production and the environmental impacts of agriculture. Areas such as healthy foods, niche crops, and vertical farming, however, will be partially phased out.
16.06.2026, 13:20
16.06.2026, 14:34
