An Australian study is being hailed as an important step forward in preventing heart disease - the leading cause of death around the world. The study led by La Trobe University found consuming extra virgin olive oil every day can significantly reduce blood pressure, a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Australia's chief independent water agency warns the nation's controversial water reforms need major commitments to tackle the drying threat from climate change, ongoing lack of Indigenous water rights, and opaque irrigation markets. 

QUT presents the QUTeX Insights Whitepaper, providing a detailed discourse on the Agribusiness sector in Australia. The report discusses how the sector is one of the best placed in the country for the longer term, as a result of the robust foundations of the industry, that has resilience and innovation at its core.

We know that border closures to suppress the spread of COVID-19 have been very challenging for farmers, processors and contractors. NSW Farmers is advocating tirelessly to achieve some certainty for movement under a permit for essential agricultural workers and we welcome this week's announcement that starts to deliver this for those close to the Victorian border. 

President of the Victorian Farmers Federation David Jochinke says farmers need to have free movement through the SA and Victorian border in order to keep the industry running properly. South Australia has refused to lift its borders as of midnight on Thursday making it more difficult for Victorians on the SA border to cross interstate.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia made an announcement, outlining the intention for an agricultural workers’ code and the restart of the Seasonal Worker Programme. The announcements made by the Prime Minister followed a National Cabinet meeting, where it agreed to come up with a plan to allow farmers to cross state borders more easily within the next two weeks.

Dog Day was held in Australia on 26 August and saw the launch of a new social media campaign, #Paws4Climate. The campaign by Farmers for Climate Action recognises the role played by man’s best friend as farmers tackle the impacts of climate change.

Farmers - and rural supporters - are being encouraged to share pics of their four-legged helpers with the hashtag #Paws4Climate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, with a description of how their dog (or cat – they’re not discriminating) is helping them in the fight for climate action. The public will then have the opportunity to vote on a selection of the best on the Farmers for Climate Action website, with the top 12 to be featured in the farmer-led movement’s 2021 calendar.

If you’ve got a photogenic four-legged farm friend, this could be their chance for fame!

iMapPESTS' second mobile surveillance unit, Sentinel 2, is currently monitoring in a crop of Brussels sprouts in Langhorne Creek, South Australia. Sentinel 2 is targeting high priority, airborne pests and diseases, with the data and the associated climatic information to be made available to the public through the iMapPESTS website in the coming weeks.

The unit will be stationed in the area until early spring, before moving up into the Adelaide Hills, where it will be stationed for the remainder of spring.

Growers and agronomists who wish to be involved in the iMapPESTS program can register their interest via iMapPESTS Engagement & Adoption coordinator, Shakira Johnson at shakira.johnson@ausveg.com.au.

Note: You can find out all about the iMapPESTS program and the Sentinel surveillance units in the coming September edition of Olivegrower & Processor.

The Skilling South Australia COVID-19 Response and Recovery Initiative offers a flexible delivery plan, providing access to a number of units from Horticulture Certificate and Diploma qualification courses, including:

When: 27 August to 13 November 2020 - Thursdays 8.30-4.30 and Fridays 8.30-12.30

Where: Virginia Horticulture Centre, Virginia

For more information contact Dermot Cussen, Hortex Alliance – hortexalliance@gmail.com or call 0417 881 241.

Air New Zealand and United Airlines have now joined the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) airfreight service provider panel, and both airlines will be supporting new flights to the USA.  

New flights recently announced include: Adelaide-Doha; Brisbane-Los Angeles; Los Angeles-Brisbane; and Melbourne Los Angeles.

Extended flights include: Adelaide-Hong Kong; Adelaide-Singapore; Melbourne Abu Dhabi; Toowoomba-Hong Kong; and Toowoomba-Singapore. 

Eligibility for products supported by IFAM is now determined by a set of principles, including: Australian-made or produced; high value; time-sensitive/perishable; limited shelf life.

View the current IFAM flight schedule and associated information, and submit an EOI to access flights, here.

In addition to IFAM flights, alternative air freight options include domestic network flights, international repatriation flights and international commercial freight only flights. More information here.

The search is on for the next round of biosecurity champions, with nominations now open for round two of the 2020 Australian Biosecurity Awards (ABAs). This round has four new award categories:

Nominations close Friday, 2 October and the awards will be presented at the National Biosecurity Forum in November.

More information and nominate here. 

LAST WEEK TO ENTER - COURIER OR EXPRESS POST your entries NOW for the Australian International Olive Awards or you’ll miss the chance to win!

It’s now just one week to go until entries close for the 2020 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), so if you haven’t entered yet – get moving!

This year’s judging is being undertaken internationally by panels across the globe, providing an unprecedented opportunity for recognition and the marketing benefits that follow:

Entries close: 4 September 2020 at 5pm CST

Winners announced: 5 October 2020 via email; online Awards Presentation event in mid-October as part of the AOA 2020 Virtual Conference.

Full competition details and entry forms are available on the AIOA

website: www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au.

*Don’t forget that AOA members pay heavily discounted AIOA entry prices, so check your 20/21 membership invoice has been received and paid before submitting your entries. If in doubt, contact Liz Bouzoudis on 0478 606 145 or secretariat@australianolives.com.au.

DON’T MISS OUT – SEND YOUR ENTRIES TODAY 

The next in the AOA’s productivity and profitability webinar series sees Dr Robert Spooner-Hart and Len Tesoriero showcasing all of the outputs from their current project An integrated pest and disease management extension program for the olive industry (OL17001). The objective of the project is to provide Australian olive growers with access to current, practical information and instruction for implementing integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) strategies in their groves. 

The webinar will briefly review the material available and provide information on how to access it, including: on-line tutorials on IPDM theory and practice, and key olive pests and diseases; Flyers on key olive pests and diseases; a Revised Field Guide to Olive Pests, Disorders and Diseases in Australia; and an Olive IPDM Manual. An upcoming follow-up survey will also be discussed.

Participants can ask questions via the Zoom chat function.

When: Tuesday, 1 September, 12.30pm AEST – register here.

The 2020 WA Olive Awards is going ahead, once again under the expert guidance of Chief Judge Isabelle Okis. Key dates are:

Entries open - Monday, 24 August

Entries close - Friday, 11 September

Results announced - Monday, 19 October

Queries to Chief Steward Ellen Slobe on 0411 293 398 or ellen.slobe@gmail.com

The entry pack will be available shortly on the Olives WA website - www.oliveswa.com.au.

The Olives NZ 2020 Conference is the ‘must-be-at’ industry event of the year and is this year being held at the Rydges Airport Hotel in Wellington on Saturday, 10 October. The 2020 NZ EVOO Awards Dinner will be held at the Conference venue on the Saturday night. 

The program includes:

The Wairarapa Field Day will be on Friday 9th October, making for an information-packed two-day event package.

Conference registration is $200 for the first attendee and $150 for subsequent from the same company/grove, and the final date for registrations is Friday, 18 September. View the full program and register here.

A new project is underway on Crete to unite the island’s growers and producers in order to protect the quality of Cretan olive oil and promote its exportation to foreign markets. The initiative, which is being called the Unified Body of Cretan Olive Oil, came as a result of challenges brought onto the sector by low olive oil prices and further fueled by cases of adulterated oils being marketed as Cretan extra virgin olive oil in the Greek market.

An official for one of Spain’s main agricultural unions argues that steadily rising global consumption paired with a decrease in production may lead to more demand for Spanish olive oil and cause prices to rise.

Olive oil is having a moment, both in and out of the kitchen. Whether induced by quarantine cooking or consumers’ growing predilection for all things clean, olive oil has found its way into baked confections and skin-care products alike. Lifestyle brand Poosh even recently collaborated with a Los Angeles-based bakery on a variety of olive oil cakes.

Along with shrinking the infection and buffer zones, the European Commission also admitted that the deadly plant pathogen could no longer be removed in some regions and called on E.U. member states to intensify their surveillance of the disease.

Chrissy Teigen is no stranger to being in the middle of a fierce Twitter debate, whether she's weighing in on a new favorite reality series or clapping back after being given unsolicited pregnancy advice. The latest dispute she's sparked, however, revolves around a pretty common breakfast staple: sunny side up eggs.

With 2020 now well underway, Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) continues to bring all the latest industry news and events to your Inbox every week. THE place to share olive industry news, event details and reminders, our industry e-newsletter keeps growing in popularity and we now have nearly 4000 subscribers across the globe. If you’re not one of them, you can sign up here.

And please remember that FOE is YOUR e-newsletter, so we’re keen to receive your news and help spread the word. Just email your information to Editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au - it’s free, and the best way to reach your fellow industry members!

An experiment revealed that the presence of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug on olive tree branches correlated with increased occurrence of the newly-observed ‘green drop’ disease.

Tunisian exports of olive oil for this season will generate record revenues amounting to more than 2 billion dinars by exporting 340,000 tonnes against 1.2 billion dinars in the previous year. These revenues are expected to make a contribution of 4.25% to the country’s State budget worth 47 billion dinars.

The world’s first healthy denture adhesive will soon be available to American consumers. bonyf AG, a Switzerland health and wellness company, announced this week it would export its OlivaFix product line of healthy denture adhesive creams.

The COVID-19 pandemic originally delayed the 659th edition of the world's oldest sporting event from the first week of July to September. Now the main sponsor and ceremonial head of the event says he no longer supports the tournament taking place.

Results announced, Golden Olive Awards – Vic, Australia

World Team Tasting Championship

Webinar, IPDM Project Resources & How to Access Them - Online

Entries close, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards

Organic Regenerative Conference 2020 – Wellington, NZ

Super High Density Webinar - Online

Entries close, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW

Entries close, 2020 NZ EVOO Awards – Wellington, NZ

Entries close, 2020 WA Olive Awards – Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Northland 

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Hawke’s Bay

Results emailed to entrants, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Nelson 

7 October 

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Canterbury 

9 October 

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Wairarapa 

Olives NZ 2020 Conference – Wellington, NZ

2020 NZ EVOO Awards – Wellington, NZ

Awards Dinner, 2020 NZ EVOO Awards – Wellington, NZ

Applications close, Olive Wellness Achievement Award  

Results emailed to entrants, 2020 WA Olive Awards – Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition

Awards Presentation, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW

Soil CRC Participants Conference

Hort Connections 2021 – Brisbane, Qld

AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition – Devonport, TAS

To include your event, or update your existing event details, email FOE editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au

Friday Olive Extracts Editorial editor@olivegrower.com.au

Advertising: editor@olivegrower.com.au

Subscribe to Olivegrower & Processor magazine secretariat@australianolives.com.au