Neepawa Banner & Press When word came down last week that the Province of Manitoba was closing 20 Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) offices across the province, it came as a bit of a jolt. MASC offices were formed a number of years ago, when Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation and Manitoba Crop Insurance were combined. This latest move from Manitoba Agriculture is part of a 25 year shrinking of Ag services by the province. I guess we will see if anyone agrees, but it is my experienced opinion that Manitoba has a definite problem with its ever shrinking Ag department. Agriculture, along with all the related businesses and food production, processing and export is a huge part of the Manitoba economy. The province, through several different governments and two different political parties, has basically killed off the once strong Manitoba Agriculture department. About $370 million, or two per cent of the Manitoba government budget, is spent on Agriculture. That seems out of proportion with how important agriculture is to Manitoba.