Business Rural North Winter 2021

| 71 While the bulk of Rural Air Co-Op’s work is top dressing, they also undertake seasonal spraying. RURAL AERIAL SERVICES » Rural Aerial Co-op Low-cost, competitive operation • from page 72 aeroplane in New Zealand,” says John. “They’re robust and safe and while they’re still building 150 of them every year in the US these aircraft will be well supported.” While the bulk of their work is top-dressing they undertake seasonal spraying as well says John. “We have a season in late winter - early spring for Porina as well as thistles and other weeds.” The Rural Aerial Co-op operate off around 60 or 70 airstrips in the lower North Island where they work. “I’d say every third or fourth farm has an airstrip that they work off so one airstrip might service four or five farms and they pool their resources to keep it up to standard usually with a covered storage bin for fertilizer. They want to keep the distance required for any load as short and therefore as cheap as possible.” Some of their shareholder clients are now the third generation to use the Co-op to service their farms, descendants of some of those who set the co-op up in the first place. The constitution al- lows more shareholders, and any farmer can use the service without being a shareholder, it will just cost a little more. “We’re a fairly low-cost operation though,” says John, “so we’re still pretty competitive com- pared to anyone else. We’re always looking for new work whether it’s top-dressing or spraying. Just pick up the phone and give us a call! ” MJ WATTS TRANSPORT Proud to support Rural Aerial Co-op 06 376 6961 pahiatuabulk@xtra.co.nz Horton Transport Ltd Nigel Horton - 0274 796 689 hortontransport@hotmail.com Kumeroa, Tararua • Fertilizer • Wool • Hay, Baleage • Silage • Grain • Metal • Machinery • General freight Truck and Machinery Services Jervois Street Pahiatua 4910 027 7368810