Manitoba’s vibrant agriculture industry hardly resembles the industry of 30 years ago. There are half the number of farms on the landscape feeding more people than ever. There are more agrologists that are private and more companies providing customized agrology services to farmers to manage risk and increase their productivity. There are more commodity associations and sector-specific producer groups leading research and innovation. There is more automation and an ever-increasing use of technology.
The agriculture industry is in a constant state of change and the pace of that change is increasing. As the agriculture industry needs to adapt to change, so does government. As the Department of Agriculture and Resource Development, our role is to support the agricultural industry, so it is sustainable and can contribute even more to Manitoba’s economy. We also need to look at how we provide services to meet the demands of today’s farmer.
With the recent announcement of a new service delivery model, many farmers have applauded the move. By leveraging synergies between the department and Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC), we are conveniently offering a wide array of services from 10 agricultural service centres located in hubs where farmers are already travelling to for farm inputs, to access other professional services, and to access other products and services needed to run their business.
Farmers expect and deserve public services that are delivered with the same level of convenience that they receive from private businesses they choose to do business with, and we plan to deliver just that. Farmers now have more choice in how to access services. MASC clients can now conduct nearly all transactions without visiting a service centre through its online business portal, by phone or video call, and by email. This saves valuable time, is convenient, and provides flexible options. When our clients choose to meet in-person, our new service centres will be able to provide all agriculture services offered by the province effective April 1. This is something we could not offer when available services varied from office to office.
Over the last two decades, we have grown our online offerings to the agriculture and food industry to over 2,000 downloadable resources and increased options to interact with us online. This saves our clients time and travel and allows them to focus on growing their operation. This modernization of services allows us to reach more people using a broader range of tools and effectively share knowledge and information as quickly as it is available.
It wasn’t long ago when producers had to wait for an in-person meeting to get their hard copy of a publication that highlighted the latest data, trends, and research that the department had been working on in the previous year.
Today, farmers are using their smart phones, tablets, and computers for quick access to information and tools to help them make decisions that are imperative to running a successful farming operation.
In the same way that they look to technology and innovation to enhance their farming practices, we must look in the same direction.
The Manitoba Government, Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development and MASC are champions of rural Manitoba and we take our role in helping drive sustainable economic development that underpins strong local economies seriously. The new service delivery model allows us to maximize service to our clients to drive economic development while operating responsibly.
Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen
Source : Manitoba