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At Ruralco, we know great farming starts from the ground up. That’s why we offer an extensive range of seed, crop protection, and agronomic support designed to maximise yields, reduce costs, and help our members farm smarter. Ruralco’s Agronomy Team are on the ground in Mid Canterbury, offering trusted advice backed by years of experience. We’re not tied to any single supplier, which means we can provide independent recommendations on the best-performing seed varieties and protection products for your farming system.

Our support doesn’t end at the seed bag, we’re with you from paddock planning through to pasture performance, helping you grow with confidence.

Top performing seed for every system

From brassicas and fodder beet to perennial ryegrass and hybrid forages, we’ve curated a range of New Zealand’s best-performing seed varieties. Whether you're after winter feed, a fast-growing summer option, or a long-lasting perennial pasture, we’ve got you covered.

Here are just a few of the options:

• Fodder Beet: high-performing  cultivars like Dynamo, Kokomo, and Robbos offer flexibility and a range of dry matter options.
• Kale & Forage Rape: options like KEA, Regal, SovGold, Titan, and Goliath cater to a variety of stock classes and grazing windows.
• Ryegrass & Clover Mixes: choose from diploid or tetraploid varieties with the right endophyte to suit your farm. Our Italian, hybrid, and perennial ryegrasses deliver strong seasonal growth and feed quality.
• Specialty Pasture Species: from lucerne and chicory to plantain and fescue, we offer solutions to boost pasture resilience, extend grazing, and improve animal health.

Crop protection made simple

We stock a wide range of proven herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and growth regulators to help you manage pests, diseases, and weeds effectively. Plus, our partnership with trusted suppliers like Genfarm, Corteva, Adria, Arxada, and Nufarm ensures you have access to the latest innovations in crop protection — all at competitive Ruralco pricing.

Our team can help you:

• Select the right product for your crop and situation
• Plan spray programmes that fit your rotation
• Understand chemical compatibility and resistance management
• Apply products safely and effectively

Soil health support

It all starts in the soil. We work closely with Ballance to offer a three-step soil health process to test the nutrient levels, review historic and current results to identity gabs, and recommend a tailored nutrient plan to optimise crop performance.

Independent advice, backed by your co-operative

As a Ruralco member, you're backed by a co-operative that works for you. That means better pricing, one-on-one service, and honest advice that puts your farming goals first.

Get in touch with our team today to talk through your agronomy requirements at 0800 787 256, [email protected] or www.ruralco.co.nz. You can also check out our latest Agronomy Guide here.