News

Legumes power Zino family’s farm operation

Subterranean clover helps drive exceptional pre-weaning lamb growth rates: Mark Zino with Luisetti Seeds North Canterbury agent Andrew Johnston in a lucerne paddock.
For the Zino family, subterranean clover is their competitive advantage.
It is this plant, that thrives on their farm’s silt loamy soils, that is the engine room of their business, driving lactation and lamb growth rates in that...

Postscript to the story about George Gatonby Stead and his 1907 Spyker car

Roland Stead gives Vincent Luisetti a silver medal won by his Grandfather, Mr George Gatonby Stead of G.G. Stead & Co, at the Canterbury Agricultural & Pastoral Association Show in 1892.
George’s grandson, Roland Stead (aged 97), got in touch with Vincent Luisetti and presented him with a silver medal his grandfather won at the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association show in...

Corteva Agriscience Announcement

Photo Control of Heavy Amaranthus and Willow weed. Left: Untreated. Right: Early Milestone application
Corteva Agriscience, has announced the successful registration and launch of the new selective post-emergence broadleaf herbicide Milestone™ for the current forage brassica season.
Extensively evaluated for weed control efficacy and crop safety in local product development trials, Milestone...

Legumes the answer to methane reduction

Professor Derrick Moot believes legumes could be the immediate answer to reducing methane emissions.
While scientists grapple with technologies to reduce methane emissions from livestock, Lincoln University’s Professor Derrick Moot believes a more immediate answer to methane reduction lies in legumes.
Speaking about a changing climate at the recent New Zealand Institute of Animal and...

Making the most of natural predators in your brassica crop

The terms “IPM” and “IPM Friendly” have been used for some time in the horticulture market, and more recently in the fodder brassica market. As Nick George, Area Business Manager for FMC points out, there is an awareness of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) but it is often misunderstood, and this is particularly the case for fodder brassicas. The introduction of the selective insecticide...

ALL BLACKS Rugby World Cup Jersey WINNER!

Congratulations David Whitburn!
In November, we asked you to name the Crusaders in the 2019 World Cup draw (original selection, not including subsequent injury replacements!).
Everyone who got it right went into the draw, and we’re pleased to announce that David Whitburn won first prize: An All Blacks Rugby World Cup jersey!
We also pulled two runners up out of the hat, and they are:

Dick...

The New Zealand Grain & Seed Trade’s First company Car

Vincent Luisetti at the wheel of a 1907 Spyker believed to be the New Zealand Grain & Seed Trade’s first company car.
This car was owned by Mr George Gatonby Stead, who was born in London in 1841 and immigrated to New Zealand in 1866 at the age of 25. After a brief stint as a banker, Mr Stead formed a Grain & Seed company, Royce Stead & Co., and commenced a trade exporting wheat...

Industry Success in Air Rescue Challenge

Ever had to put on a wet suit or safety harness in the back of a vehicle?
These are the sort of activities Westpac Air Rescue Helicopter personnel are required to do on a daily basis, so it was fitting that this was one of the stations in this year’s Air Rescue Challenge.
Luisetti Seeds Operations Manager, Mark Frampton, was part of the New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association (NZGSTA)...

More flexibility with Korvetto Brassica Herbicide

Long plant back periods can force you to change your cropping schedule. When plant back periods are not adhered to (or forgotten!) the establishment of clover and other legumes can be compromised.

Korvetto is a new post emergent forage brassica herbicide from Corteva Agriscience (Agriculture Division of DowDupont) and is distinguished by its short plant back period. There is no plant...

New computer system streamlines orders and dispatches

A morning tea, complete with cake, was held to thank Marie Bell for all the work she has done to get LMS designed and implemented.
The adoption of a bespoke computer system represents a significant move for Luisetti Seeds, away from a traditional paper-based ordering and dispatch system to an electronic one.
Finance Manager, Marie Bell, has spent the best part of four years on this project,...