25 JULY 2025

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Today's top story

Olive grower’s near-miss a timely reminder this National Farm Safety Week

By Laura Thomas

A Victorian olive grove manager who survived an on-farm incident is urging all farmers to slow down and "don’t let complacency be your undoing", this National Farm Safety Week.

Latest agriculture industry figures reveal 17 people have died on Australian farms so far this year and a further 87 have been seriously injured.

Read more about how Cameron Bennett's close call has changed his approach to farm safety for the better.

Australia

Heaviest rain and snow in years ahead for southern Australia, set to bring drought relief

Image: The ingredients for widespread rain are lining up on the weather maps this week. (Supplied: Michael Murphy, via ABC).

The wait for significant drought relief is finally over.

After two years of high-pressure domination, a triplet of low-pressure systems is about to deliver rain across nearly every agricultural region of Australia, and for once, the best falls will reach all the right places.

Rainfall this week is likely to be the heaviest in one to two years for much of South Australia and the southern Murray Basin, while many Western Australian farmers are rejoicing through the wettest July in four years.

Focus on safe farm practices during Farm Safety Week

Australian farmers are being urged to focus on staying safe this week through better communication as Farm Safety week begins.

Latest figures released for National Farm Safety Week show 17 farmers have lost their lives in farm accidents so far this year, but many more have suffered serious injuries.

Tasmanian farmer and Chair of Farmsafe Australia Felicity Richards spoke to Tony Briscoe about the number of deaths on farm and the comparison to 2024.

Listen on the ABC now.

Fat Farmers: bettering rural Australian’s mental and physical health

It’s National Farm Safety Week (20–26 July) and Fat Farmers General/Community Engagement Manager, Michael Williams, is sharing how their initiative is transforming the health and wellbeing of Aussie farmers.

Learn where you can join or what you can do to create your own Fat Farmers group.

Exploring agritourism for Australian growers

With interest in unique tourism experiences on the rise, this one-hour webinar is designed for growers to explore how agritourism can diversify farm income streams, maximise farm assets, provide opportunities for value-adding, and build stronger connections with the community.

Whether it’s farm-stays, agritourism experiences such a tours, pick-your-own models, retail outlet opportunities, or tourism partnerships, agritourism is a growing opportunity to diversify and future-proof your farm.

AOA Classifieds

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Our online classifieds are an easy and inexpensive solution to advertising your unwanted equipment. 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!

Classifieds start from as little as $44 for AOA members ($110 for non-members) and are online now at www.australianolives.com.au/classifieds

For details, rates, or to create a classified, hit the button below.

AOA Classifieds

Queensland Government and CSIRO launch free program to boost local agricultural innovation

Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, is calling on Queensland-based small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working across agriculture, food and related technologies to apply for its next Innovate to Grow program.

Farmers in drought waiting over a year for loan scheme response

Australia’s peak farming bodies are demanding urgent action from the Federal Government after it is yet to respond to two critical drought resilience actions.

Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry calls for urgent overhaul to environmental protection laws

Australia's environment protection laws have both failed to stop the degradation of Australia's natural environment and held back economic growth, former Treasury secretary Ken Henry has warned.

International

Olive oil prices crash by 46 percent but not all Spanish food costs are cooling down

Remember when buying olive oil felt like a luxury purchase? Those days might finally be over.

Spain's beloved 'liquid gold', a staple on every dinner table around the country, has seen its price plummet by 45.7% in the last year, with an even more dramatic 48% drop since hitting its peak in April 2024.

Concerns mount over sharp decline in olive oil prices

Concern is growing over the significant decline in olive oil prices at origin as the 2025/26 crop year approaches, prompting calls for the withdrawal of excess olive oil from the market under EU Regulation 1308/2013.

However, olive oil consultancy Vilcon believes it is premature to remove olive oil from the market at this time, as prices have not yet reached critical levels that would warrant such action.

Western Europe scorched by unprecedented June heatwave

Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record in 2025, with two significant heatwaves causing “very strong heat stress” in countries like Portugal and Spain, impacting olive oil production.

While the extreme temperatures have not yet had a dramatic effect on the upcoming harvest, a prolonged summer of extreme heat could lead to a lower national olive yield and impact olive oil production.

New research shows olive oil's impact on gut health

New research suggests that extra virgin olive oil plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy microbiota, crucial for overall health, by enhancing bacterial populations in the gut.

The review highlighted the positive effects of olive-derived bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and triterpenes, in promoting gut health and preventing various health issues by modulating the gut-microbiota-brain axis.

Olive oil industry bounces back following drought and disease

After years of crisis, the olive oil industry is recovering with a strong harvest and bold sustainability moves.

The hidden power of olive pits: turning agricultural waste into sustainable biofuel

Spain, a world leader in olive cultivation, is discovering a new value in one of its most abundant waste products: olive stones.

Traditionally discarded, today they are projected as a renewable energy source, thanks to their transformation into biochar, a highly porous material with added value and multiple sustainable applications.

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Trump tariffs force Greek olive oil producers to seek new markets

Greek olive oil producer Konstantinos Papadopoulos wasted little time when the threat of US tariffs was floated by President Donald Trump in the spring. He immediately started looking for alternative buyers around the world.