The Manitoba government is responding to requests from Manitoba’s agricultural sector and opening two new Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) Service Centres in western Manitoba to better meet the needs of Manitoba farmers, Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced here today.
“Where the previous government ended services, we’re bringing them back,” said Kostyshyn. “We heard from producers loud and clear that they wanted the in-person service they used to enjoy. These new service centres will also help MASC staff to further build relationships with producers, allowing them to better anticipate and respond to their individual needs.”
A number of agricultural organizations have been asking the province to open new MASC Service Centres after 21 Manitoba Agriculture and MASC offices were closed across the province, noted the minister.
The additional service centres are anticipated to open by the end of summer, added Kostyshyn. Precise opening dates and accompanying details will be communicated to clients in the coming months.
Approximately 1,600 MASC clients will benefit from the addition of two new service centres and roughly 94 percent of MASC clients will be within a 60-minute drive to a MASC Service Centre, an increase from 83 per cent, the minister noted.
The two new service centres will be located in Shoal Lake and Virden, and will provide farmers with better access to Agrinsurance, hail insurance, wildlife damage compensation, agricultural loans, pathfinding services for programs offered by Manitoba Agriculture and other programs administered by MASC. Each new location will be staffed with four full-time employees and one casual employee, said the minister.
“Manitoba farmers have been clear in their desire to have access to more in-person services through MASC,” said Jill Verwey, president, Keystone Agricultural Producers. “We are pleased to see the government has listened to farmers with this commitment to open two additional service centres in Shoal Lake and Virden.”
“Cattle producers certainly see value in the work being done by MASC and many like to have the option to sit down across the table from their staff to have in-depth discussions about programs and services that can help their farms and ranches,” said Matthew Atkinson, president, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP). “MBP had been advocating for there to be more service centres so that our members can access MASC services closer to home and we thank the provincial government for fulfilling its commitment to open two new offices.”
In order to determine where new service centres would have the greatest impact, MASC undertook a service delivery review that analyzed client satisfaction survey results and distance to access in-person services as well as existing service centre client volumes and staff-to-client ratios.
For more information on MASC visit www.masc.mb.ca.
(Manitoba Government news release)
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