12 July 2024

Brought to you by Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor www.olivebiz.com.au

Today's Top Story

Global temperatures reach Paris Agreement target of 1.5C above average for 12 months in a row

Earth has just hit a concerning climate milestone, with data showing global temperatures have now reached or broken the Paris Agreement threshold for 12 months in a row. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, run by the EU, June was 1.5 degrees Celsius exactly above pre-industrial levels.

Australia

Government goes to tender on major water buybacks to help environment in Murray-Darling Basin

The federal government wants to buy back water entitlements from farmers in the southern Murray-Darling Basin to keep more water in the country's largest river network and boost the environment. It's the first major buyback program since changes were introduced last year to update the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. It will go to tender in the week beginning July 15, seeking entitlements for up to 70 gigalitres.

Varroa mites have infested honey bee hives across NSW. The fight is on to contain their spread to other states

Australian states and territories are responding to the Varroa destructor threat after the mites infested New South Wales honey bee hives. The varroa mite causes colony collapse in heavily infested hives, threatening the production of honey in regions it invades.

As part of that …

TAS: Emergency general biosecurity direction for European honey bees and associated products

Due to the presence of varroa mite (Varroa destructor) in New South Wales, the Tasmanian Chief Plant Protection Officer has put in place an extension to the general biosecurity direction (emergency), to prevent the introduction of this honey bee parasite into Tasmania.

This direction took effect as of 12am on Sunday, 7 July 2024 and remains in effect for six months, unless it is revoked earlier.

Find out more here.

And this is interesting …

Flower fly pollination could alleviate Australia's reliance on honey bees for crops as varroa mite impact plays out

Australia's berry crops rely on bee pollination, and flower flies, which look similar, could support their efforts. (ABC News/Supplied)

Imagine an Australia without blueberries, avocados or apples. They are among a third of all crops that need bees for pollination. The recent arrival and spread of the bee parasite varroa mite poses a threat to $14 billion of annual local agricultural production. It's prompted governments, farmers and scientists to find pollination alternatives - and flower flies are top of that list.

Got something to sell? Or want to buy? Go direct to your target market – olive growers and producers

If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, you can reach your target market directly with Olivebiz Classifieds. Our online Classifieds service is an easy and inexpensive solution to advertising your unwanted equipment – like Len, who has a Hardie sprayer for sale. And if there’s something you’re looking for, it’s the ideal way to get the message out loud and clear to your peers and industry associates – the most likely to have what you need.

Olivebiz Classifieds cost just $40 for AOA members ($100 for non-members), including a text ad and link through to either your web page or images hosted on our site. And you don’t need to be a tech-head: just send us your info and we’ll post it up for you.

Olivebiz Classifieds are online now at www.olivebiz.com.au/classifieds. To arrange a listing, contact Gerri at editor@olivegrower.com.au.

Renew your AOA membership for continued discount eligibility

AOA membership renewals for 2024-2025 have now been emailed, so please check your Inbox and action payment within the invoice period.

Along with industry advocacy and representation at government level, membership of the national peak industry body, the Australian Olive Association (AOA), provides financial members with a wealth of direct benefits, including:

heavily discounted rates on Australian International Olive Awards entries and AOA event registrations;
the opportunity to participate in the OliveCare® Code of Best Practice program, which provides assistance with queries on grove management, production, storage and other quality parameters; also access to the OliveCare® certification program;
access to the AOA website’s Members Lounge and information on a broad range of industry-relevant topics, including step-by-step labelling guides and a readable version of the Australian Standard 5264-2011.

If you haven’t received your renewal, please contact Liz at secretariat@australianolives.com.au.

Reminder: The substantial member discounts for Australian International Olive Awards entries can only be applied for current financial members, so make sure you’ve renewed before you sign up!

Not an AOA member yet?

Find out more and apply to join at the AOA website - www.australianolives.com.au - or contact Administration Manager Liz Bouzoudis at secretariat@australianolives.com.au.

Skills Insight consultation

As part of the Exploring Training Demand & Supply Challenges Project, Skills Insight is undertaking consultation with various industries, including horticulture, around training demand and supply challenges, and is currently conducting a series of focus groups.

They want to hear from stakeholders about the factors impacting supply and demand for each qualification and what strategies might help address these challenges.

Find out more and add your input here.

Australian plant breeders' rights system undergoes major overhaul

Varieties of tomato are being developed and trialed at a greenhouse in the Netherlands. (Supplied: International Seed Federation)

They are the rock stars of the food world, the next "big things" that will change what people eat, but a royalty dispute could mean they never hit the table. Unlike the copyright disputes of famous musicians, there are more than riffs and lyrics at stake if the billion-dollar food fight is not resolved. A flaw in Australia's plant-breeding rights system could mean fruits, vegetables, and grains needed to feed the world and combat climate change are never developed.

Senate Committee releases final report into supermarket pricing

The release of the final report by the Select Committee on Supermarket Prices has sparked significant dialogue among key industry stakeholders and decision-makers.

Opportunities

New funding to lower energy and equipment costs for SMEs

Small and medium businesses in sectors such as agriculture will be able to obtain cheaper finance for solar, batteries and more energy efficient vehicles and equipment, with a new $50 million Federal Government investment to support discounted loans.

The investment through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will go towards discounted finance worth $250 million by non-bank lender Metro for electric vehicles, rooftop solar and batteries.

Small businesses will also be able to access discounted finance for more energy efficient farm and building machinery such as tractors, harvesters, earthmovers and cranes.

Find out more here.

Webinar recording of Savor: The Dirt-y Solution to Climate Change now available

The video of the recent Savor: The Dirt-y Solution to Climate Change event is now live on YouTube. An in-depth conversation about regenerative agriculture, the session explores what regenerative agriculture means, how it works, the challenges, and what you can do to support it.

Presented by the UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute for Food and Wine Science as part of its Savor series, the session is presented by Ivo Jeramaz, Winemaker and Vice President of Vineyards & Production at Grgich Hills Estate; Linda Burch, CEO of the Alice Waters Institute for Edible Education and Regenerative Agriculture; Jessica Chiartas, President and Lead Scientist at RegenScore; and Cristina Lazcano, soil ecologist and Associate Professor at the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis.

Access the recording here.

Events

SA and NSW: Varroa management training

The national Varroa mite management program is delivering a series of workshops to provide beekeepers with the latest information on Varroa mite and managing Varroa mite in your hives.

The free one-day workshops will provide information on:

understanding Varroa mite and its impacts;
the importance of monitoring and treatment thresholds;
integrated pest management and Varroa, and more.

Find out more and register here.

Entries now open for 2024 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA)

Australia’s premier olive competition, with international status and recognition, the 2024 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) is now open for entries.

Benefits of entering the AIOA include:

Entries assessed and awarded on merit by a team of internationally trained judges.
All entrants receive comprehensive judging feedback.
Successful judging provides eligibility for OliveCare® certification.
Unprecedented opportunity for international recognition of winning products and producers.
The comprehensive Results Book is sent out to all entrants and stakeholders, providing an impressive marketing tool for all medal and award winners.

· The opportunity to purchase the professional product images from the Results Book at only $35 plus GST – a fraction of the price of your own professional photography.

New for 2024 …

This year’s competition offers even more benefits for entrants, including a Producer Index Listing in the Results Book to help buyers and consumers find your award-winning products. The listing will also be accessible as a reference page on the Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Everyday website

There are also new decals for Best of Class and Best of Show winners, and a Platinum Medal has been introduced to recognise exceptionally high-scoring entries.

Find out more and enter here, or if you need assistance with your entries please contact Competition Convenor & Chief Steward Trudie Michels on 0419 031 527 or aioa@australianolives.com.au.

Webinar: Transforming how we manage trade-related plant biosecurity risks in Australia

This forum is for anyone with an interest in shaping horticulture and plant industry biosecurity and access to domestic and export markets.

A partnership between CSIRO, the State, Territory and Commonwealth Governments and the horticulture industry, Safe Trade is a national project supported by Hort Innovation that aims to transform the way trade-related plant biosecurity risks are assessed and managed in Australia.

The project is developing innovative scientific methods, models and tools to inform evidence-based risk assessment and mitigation, and to enable new ways of utilising data to enhance biosecurity and market access.

Details: 2 August 2024, 11am - 1.30pm AEST – FREE.

Contract Olive Pruning - Riverland Pruning & Harvest

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International

High court annuls regulation opening olive groves to mining

In a landmark decision, the Council of State's 8th Chamber has annulled a controversial regulation that permitted mining activities in olive groves, a move that had sparked widespread criticism and legal challenges from environmental groups and citizens.

Extra Virgin Alliance represents global extra virgin olive oil producers in stable US market

09-Jul-2024 By Deniz Ataman

As US demand for high-quality olive oil continues to grow, the Extra Virgin Alliance (EVA) represents global extra virgin olive oil producers, providing visibility and product awareness for brands from diverse countries, Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, director, EVA, shared with FoodNavigator-USA during the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City last month.

Extra virgin olive oil as fine as wine in Greek restaurants

In certain upscale restaurants in Greece (some in five-star hotels), extra virgin olive oil is now being elevated to the level of fine wine. In selected restaurants, diners will now find an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) menu describing each olive variety and place of origin, as well as noteworthy production techniques and distinctive flavors and aromas.

Now that’s giving EVOO the respect it deserves! As is this …

Enhancing excellence: how the world's best restaurant uses extra virgin olive oil

Chocolate peppers with extra virgin olive oil and salt (Photo: Francesc Guillamet).

Locally sourced extra virgin olive oil is an essential ingredient for the Michelin-star chefs at Disfrutar Barcelona and their award-winning tasting menu.

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

We’re now half way through the year and the Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) team 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!

Listen: Can olives help manage blood sugar?

Dr. Jeff Bohmer, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, talks about the FDA’s approval of an early treatment for Alzheimer’s and why the FDA no longer allows brominated vegetable oil in some drinks. He also shares details about what foods are rich in fiber, how a component of olives could help manage blood sugar, and the health benefits of ice cream.

2 unexpected cooking mistakes you’re making that are leading to weight gain, according to experts

Cooking at home can be a fantastic way to control what you eat and maintain a healthy diet. However, even when you have the best intentions, certain cooking mistakes can sabotage your weight loss efforts and lead to unexpected weight gain.

The first mistake they cite: using extra virgin olive oil blended with refined oils.

More than 37 thousand liters of counterfeit oil: huge seizure in Foggia

The mixture was packaged in jerrycans and cans on which indications were affixed certifying the extra virgin quality of the product.

Bricks made with olive pits reduce carbon footprint of buildings, study finds

A new study has shown that olive pit waste can effectively reduce energy usage in buildings, demonstrating how the circular economy can be applied to the construction sector.