It’s great to be able to start FOE with some good news this week!
There are signs that more useful rain could be on the horizon as NSW continues to gradually recover from one of its worst droughts on record. At the end of last week, just over 22% of NSW was categorised as being out of drought. Of the remaining 77.4% of the state, only 6.5% was in the Intense Drought Category.
And here’s proof:
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Josh Sheard, who owns the hotel at Pooncarie, got up at 6.45am to watch the river, dry for 18 months, fill with water as it passed his pub. Photograph: Josh Sheard.
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The waters of the Murray River and the Darling River in NSW have joined for the first time in two years, in a milestone for drought-stricken communities in New South Wales. Water flowing down the Darling joined water backed up from the Murray River around 5.30pm on Sunday evening about 90km upstream from Wentworth in NSW.
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Olives are hardy trees well suited to Australia’s climate, but for the country’s largest producer that means it can be hard to spot the impacts of drought until it’s too late to protect yields. Boundary Bend, the company behind brands like Cobram Estate and Red Island, is undertaking an exhaustive review of the agtech solutions targeting water efficiency to better understand the relationship between water use and productivity.
And here’s why pro-active work like this is so necessary:
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South Australian River Murray irrigators have been told to plan for low water availability with a minimum opening allocation of two per cent projected for the 2020-21 water year. This is only a projected minimum opening allocation to help irrigators prepare for the year ahead, with the actual opening allocation to be advised on 15 June.
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NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has called for a crisis meeting of state and federal water ministers to allocate emergency irrigation water to farms in the Southern Murray basin and help ensure Australia’s food security through the pandemic.
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Theo and Matt are both
SELLING OLIVE EQUIPMENT
and they’re letting olive producers know through the OliveBiz Classifieds
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Your circumstances have changed and you’ve got equipment you no longer need but there’s undoubtedly another producer out there for whom it would be ideal. Let them know about it through the Olivebiz Classifieds – THE intra-industry way to sell, buy and source. If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, our online Classifieds service is an easy and inexpensive solution to advertise your unwanted equipment, extra oil or even your grove – like Theo, who has
production and warehouse equipment
for sale, and Matt, who’s selling a
large OFM olive sorting machine. 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.
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.
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On our virtual sofa, we spoke with resident expert and senior food microbiology consultant, Cathy Moir. Here’s what she had to say on all things food and coronavirus.
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We live through unprecedented times. Globally, the co-ordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a large volume of from-home workers that use IT to communicate with colleagues and undertake their work from home.
While focused on larger organisations with office-based teams, this is valuable cybersecurity advice for us all.
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Express your interest in export airfreight support
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The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE)'s airfreight assistance team is seeking exporters to register and provide information on their airfreight requirements, following the government's announcement of a $110 million initiative to ensure airfreight capacity remains open for critical export markets. The package will help exporters of high-quality, high-value produce access key overseas markets.
Find out more and express your interest
here.
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Post your workforce needs on the Harvest Trail jobs board
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Growers are encouraged to consider their workforce needs now and advertise jobs early, and wherever they can, post their vacancies on the Harvest Trail jobs board. The Federal Govt sponsored site provides information and registration of job opportunities for employers seeking workers, and a job search facility for workers. Find out more and post your vacancies
here.
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This Saturday, host a #DistanceDinner and join Cobram Estate in supporting vulnerable Australians
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To support Foodbank and Australians in need, Cobram Estate is donating 20,000 meals and 15,000 bottles of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They’ve also teamed up with Foodbank and are inviting you to host a #DistanceDinner this Saturday, 18 April.
Simply organise a virtual dinner party with friends, dress up, cook a delicious meal, set the table, then connect online through your favourite video chat service. During the meal, you’re asked to consider Australians in less fortunate positions and support the invaluable work of Foodbank by making a donation – you can do that
here.
And if you need some help with menu inspiration, there’s a free digital cookbook available
here.
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COVID-19 essential services status
Olives NZ has confirmed that on 25 March New Zealand moved to National Alert 4 in response to COVID-19, with strict measures limiting businesses that can continue to operate (essential services), travel, etc.
An essential service has been classified as a business that operates to provide the necessities of life to New Zealanders. In the horticulture industry this includes growers of fresh fruit and vegetables for domestic supply and export, and other operations that directly support production.
The olive growing sector is therefore part of the ‘essential services’ category provided the growers supply olives and/or olive oil for retail/wholesale. However, growers who do not have a National Programme registered or who only grow olives for personal use do not fall under the essential services category and will not be able to have olives processed by a contract press.
Olives NZ have prepared a Fact Sheet providing comprehensive information on the situation, including a COVID-19 Checklist for Hand Harvesting and Processing Plants -
available here - and will advise members immediately should any status changes occur.
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Rural Delivery to feature Focus Grove Project
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Rural Delivery is a well-recognised agricultural business show, showcasing the latest innovations and technology in the rural sector, as well as interviews with industry leaders, news headlines, market data, and weather. In January the production team visited Leafyridge, Wairarapa to film a segment on the outstandingly successful Olives NZ Focus Grove Project.
The segment will feature in episode 5 of Rural Delivery 2020, airing on Saturday 16 May at 7am on TV1, with a replay on Sunday 17 May at 6am. Within 24 hours the episode will be available on TVNZ OnDemand, and thereafter on the Rural Delivery
website.
Great to see this high-profile recognition of the project and its incredible results in increasing productivity. Lock it in the diary!
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Olive trees infected with Xylella fastidiosa are destroyed in Menton, southern France. Photograph: Yann Coatsaliou/AFP/Getty Images
Italian, Spanish and Greek farmers set to lose billions unless drastic action is taken to combat bacterium that has killed millions of trees.
It’s been interesting to see the increase in global press coverage on Xylella once the $$$ impact is highlighted … Luckily there’s also some good news on the topic:
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Researchers have developed and tested a new bactericide that can help olive trees affected by Xylella to return to full production.
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The regular use of olive oil has been found to reduce cardiovascular risk factors for female sufferers of fibromyalgia, according to a new study.
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Spanish research institute Aimplas has collaborated with Olivarera de los Pedroches (OLIPE) to develop an olive-based plastic for packaging that contains products made with olive oil.
Another innovative use for olive waste – great stuff!
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Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news
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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!
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Farming enterprises are eligible to receive up to €100,000 ($109,000) in repayable advances under the aid program.
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A simple drop of olive oil in a system of photons bouncing between two mirrors, has revealed universal aspects of phase transitions in physics.
Complex but interesting stuff and, given that the results “might eventually be useful as a computational tool, or maybe even in sensing applications”, more proof of the multi-versatility of our wonderful product!
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The previously strong and ever-growing U.S. olive oil import market is taking a hit as the world grapples with COVID-19-fueled trade disruptions. Early 2020 import figures and World Trade Organization (WTO) projections show that imports have already slowed and won’t speed up again for some time.
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2020
18 April
Cobram Estate/Foodbank Distance Dinner – Australia
23-25 April
2020 London International Olive oil Competitions – London, UK
May
2020 NYIOOC – New York, USA
9 -12 May
Berlin Global Olive Oil Competition 2020 – Berlin, Germany
18-10 May
EVOO-IOOC – Palmi/Calabria, Italy
20 May
Entries close, Olive Japan 2020 International EVOO Competition – Tokyo, Japan
20 June 20
Winners announced, Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition – LA, USA
1 July
Entries open, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards
September TBA
World Team Tasting Championship
4 September
Entries close, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards
11 September
Entries close, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW
5 October
Results emailed to entrants, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards
16-18 October
AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition – Devonport, TAS
22 October
Awards Presentation, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW
2021
16-17 February
evokeAG. – Perth, WA
23-25 March
Soil CRC Participants Conference
7-9 June
Hort Connections 2021 – Brisbane, Qld
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Friday Olive Extracts is Published by:
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Olivegrower Communications:
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Olivegrower & Processor
March Issue
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Australian and New Zealand
Olive Industry Directory
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