Ruralco

Last week, our CEO Tony Aitken was proud to present $500 to Methven Primary School, sponsored by Computing Solutions, as part of our Spend for Your School programme. Joining the presentation was Ruralco member Donna Simpson, who nominated Methven Primary to receive the donation. Every month, Ruralco members have the chance to give back to their local schools. Simply use your Ruralco Card, every 10 transactions gives you the opportunity to nominate a school to receive $500. Computing Solutions, the July sponsor for Spend for Your School, is a locally owned Ashburton business that has been delivering reliable, professional IT services for over 20 years. They’ve earned a trusted reputation in Mid Canterbury by providing practical, dependable IT solutions that support both local businesses and farms. What school will be next? #RuralcoNZ #ComputingSolutions #NZFarming #CanterburyNZ #SpendForYourSchool #SupportLocalSchools

👋 Meet the Team – Jono Pavey, GM Farm Supplies After 14 years with Ruralco, Jono Pavey is likely a familiar face. Whether he’s helping at events, sourcing products in store, or chatting with farmers on and off farm, his passion for farming, people, and community remains at the heart of what he does. We did a little Q&A so you can get to know Jono better: What’s your role at Ruralco? “GM Farm Supplies, a great deal of variation. This could include supplier meetings, talking with and helping members, sourcing and selling product, discussions with staff through to strategy planning for the future of Ruralco.” What do you love most about your job? “Being involved in the agriculture industry and the challenges that this brings from season to season. Working with people, whether it be members, staff, or suppliers, and the variety that the position brings and the responsibilities that come with it.” What have you learned from working with farmers? “Ask plenty of questions, listen, be honest and straight up.” What do you enjoy about supporting rural businesses and communities? “The people that you meet. By living in a rural community, you get numerous opportunities to get involved in various activities. Make sure that you take these opportunities.” Fun fact: What’s something people would be interested to learn about you? "I once worked for the largest tea bag manufacturer." Piece of advice you live by? “Give it a go.” Favourite local spot? “Getting outside, Awa Awa Reserve.” Favourite music for the ute? “Plenty of variety, Dire Straits, The Boss.” Quickfire round: Sneakers over gumboots | Dogs over cats | Sunsets over sunrises | BBQ over roasts | Spring on the farm Now you know Jono a little better, be sure to say hi next time you see him at an event or around the district! #MeetTheRuralcoTeam #RuralcoNZ #CanterburyNZ #FarmLife #NZFarming

A little 'behind-the-scenes' from one of our photo shoots today. We were incredibly lucky to not only beat the wind, but to have the privilege of being on farm with Peter and Helen, who have been longstanding members with us at Ruralco. 🤝 #ruralconz #nzfarming #canterburynz #ruralco #sheepandbeef #angusbeef #farmingnz

🌱 Is sulphur the missing link in your pasture growth? Many NZ soils lose sulphur over winter, limiting pasture performance and nitrogen response just when demand is highest. Learn how to spot the signs of deficiency and which fertiliser options work best in autumn and spring. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gs7ryxpg #Ruralco #farmingnz #ballance #sulphurdeficiency #pastureperformance

Your latest Grain Report is here. Stay informed with up-to-date insights on the local, Australian, and international grain markets. Our September report breaks down key figures and trends to help you make confident decisions this season. Available now via https://lnkd.in/dUdt4iEc #RuralcoNZ #GrainMarketUpdate #NZFarming

👋 Meet the Team – Jelle Hendriksen Role: On Farm Account Manager Location: Ashburton / Methven Jelle first joined Ruralco four years ago in the Methven store before moving into the On-Farm team a year later. We did a little Q&A so you can get to know Jelle better (including a surprising go-to coffee order). What’s your role at Ruralco? “I help my customers by giving them options and getting product to farm.” What do you love most about your job? “The diversity, every day has its different challenges.” What’s one thing people might not realise about you? “I’m Dutch, so if there’s a cheaper option to solve your issue, I’ll happily suggest it.” What’s something you’ve learned from working with farmers? “That every farm has different challenges, what works for one won’t work for everyone.” What do you enjoy outside of work? “I have a habit of signing up to stupid races...I’ve competed in Coast 2 Coast and a full Ironman.” Fun fact: “I came to New Zealand as a backpacker 14 years ago for 6 months and never left.” Go-to coffee order? “Large cappuccino with cinnamon.” Favourite local spot? “Woolshed Creek Hut.” Piece of advice you live by? “Challenge yourself every day.” Quickfire round: Gumboots over sneakers Dogs over cats Sunrises over sunsets BBQ over roast Spring over summer Next time you spot Jelle out and about, don’t be shy. Whether it’s chatting about farm challenges or multisport challenges, he’s always up for a good yarn. #MeetTheRuralcoTeam #RuralcoNZ #CanterburyNZ #FarmLife #NZFarming

🌱 After two tough years of oversupply, things are finally looking up for NZ’s arable sector. Methven farmer and Federated Farmers’ herbage seed chair John McCaw says stronger sales and renewed demand are reasons to feel positive. Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/gFyxUXm5 #ruralco #farmingnz #arablefarming #federatedfarmers

👋 Meet the Team – Kate Smaill Role: Membership Specialist Location: Ruralco Ashburton Kate joined the Ruralco team just 10 weeks ago and has quickly become an integral part of supporting our members and shareholders. We caught up with Kate to do a quick Q & A so you can get to know her better. What’s your role at Ruralco, and what does a typical day look like? “I handle customer calls related to membership services, shareholder enquiries, and new card applications. I also assist with enquiries regarding fuel and energy, and provide support for the social media team,” she says. What do you love most about your job? “Supporting our members in getting full value from their Ruralco membership is what I enjoy most! I also love our team environment here at Ruralco!” What’s something you’ve learned from working with farmers? "Their time is valuable, and their work doesn’t stop." What’s one piece of advice you live by? "Look good – Feel good – Do good" Originally from Omarama, Kate is familiar with both the extremes of cold winters and hot summers. Outside of work she’s in her 10th year of playing hockey with the Harewood Christchurch Women’s team. Quickfire round: Go-to hot drink: Hot Choccy all the way! Favourite song: Viva la Vida – Coldplay Favourite local spot: The Rabbit, Ashburton Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset Gumboots or Sneakers? Gumboots Dog or Cat? Both! Favourite season? Spring Next time you're in Ruralco Ashburton, you might just catch Kate helping you and other members at our reception desk. Make sure to say hi! #Ruralcostaff #RuralcoAshburton #MidCanterbury #ruralconz #nzfarming #Canterburynz #farmingnz

We’re hiring – Cloud Developer 💻 We’re looking for an experienced Cloud Developer to design, develop and manage our cloud-based infrastructure, applications, and services. To succeed in this role, you’ll have proven experience with cloud operations and development, strong programming skills in Node.js, TypeScript, and Python, and a background with GCP, databases, and Terraform. Sound like you? Apply today at https://lnkd.in/gYeHw4jm #ruralconz #Ruralco #nzfarming #Canterburynz #farmingnz

Meet the Merchant! A shared passion for fresh, affordable produce and outstanding customer service is what brought Amanat Sharma and Dean together to launch Produce Pals Fruit 'n' Veges in Tinwald. Having both worked in a family-run fruit and vege store from a young age, the pair had long dreamed of starting their own business. That dream became reality when they took over the iconic Tinwald fruit and vege site in 2022, bringing their years of experience and youthful drive to Ashburton. “We knew the site had huge potential, and the timing was just right. With local support behind us, we’ve been able to grow quickly and keep our promise of quality produce at affordable prices,” says Dean. Today, Produce Pals Fruit ’n’ Veges is more than just a fruit and vege store. Alongside fresh seasonal produce sourced from NZGAP Certified and local growers, they also stock quality meats, free-range eggs, fresh bread, and everyday essentials all backed by award-winning customer service. Read more about Aman and Dean’s story online at https://lnkd.in/gJyCvtJi Ruralco partners with the businesses you shop at every day, supporting farmers, merchants and our local community. #ruralconz #nzfarming #shoplocalnz #Canterburynz #ruralcocountry #producepals #freshfruitandveg