14 August 2026

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Today's top story

Is olive oil a status symbol? From pantry staple to quiet luxury

I believe extra virgin olive oil is a status symbol—and I think that's a good thing. What worries me isn’t that olive oil has become a status symbol. It’s what that status means. 

Not long ago, olive oil was a quiet resident of the pantry. Used, rarely noticed. Today, it tells a different story.

Australia

Ag shows a prime showcase for Australian produce

By Laura Thomas

Australian country shows have long been a feature on regional calendars everywhere, an annual celebration of rural agriculture, industry and way of life.

These traditional country events continue to provide an important connection between the city and the country, and a prime opportunity for producers to connect directly with consumers and deliver the farm to plate message. Read more.

National Biosecurity Week: 24 - 30 August 2026

National Biosecurity Week is just around the corner, serving as an important reminder of the critical role biosecurity plays in the protection of our environment, ag industries, food supply, communities and economy.

Access resources, more information and find out how you can get involved, via the National Biosecurity Week website.

Robotic Raptor: Drone that mimics bird of prey

Native birds cause an estimated $300 million in damage to Australian fruit and grain crops each year.

A unique drone that mimics a predator is being trialled as a humane bird deterrent.

Watch on ABC Landline

AOA Classifieds

Got something to sell? Want to buy?

If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, you can reach your target market directly with our grower-to-grower service - AOA Classifieds.

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.

NEW CLASSIFIED!

Olive paste processing machine & Olive Paste dispenser, Edgecombe VIC

Safety before speed: Farmers urged to break the fatigue cycle

Australian farmers are being urged to rethink the long-held belief that working longer, pushing harder and ignoring fatigue are signs of dedication, with one New South Wales cotton grower warning the mindset is putting lives at unnecessary risk.

Australian Farm Safety Week may be over for another year, but the stories told and lessons learnt are as important as ever.

'Everyone in my family are doctors': Why this student chose agriculture

When Lalita Roopnarinesingh made the decision to pursue a degree in agriculture, it came as a surprise to many.

Farmers hopeful independent inquiry into BOM can restore trust

Farmers relying on weather data to make critical business decisions say they no longer trust the Bureau of Meteorology to get the information they need.



The BOM's chief executive has responded to backlash by announcing an independent review into the agency to ensure it meets the needs of Australians.

Regional Tech Hub shuts its doors after six years

The free, independent phone and internet advice service that helped hundreds of thousands of rural Australians has closed, after the National Farmers’ Federation failed to secure funding to keep it running.



The Regional Tech Hub launched in December 2020 and provided practical connectivity advice to people across rural, regional and remote Australia. Over its life it gave one-on-one assistance to more than 80,000 households.

International

Italians will pay more for olive oil with health claims

Italian consumers were willing to pay about 14 percent more for extra virgin olive oil carrying an approved health claim, researchers found.

A neurosurgeon explains how olive oil protects your brain, starting in your gut

Board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. John Gorecki shares his insights about the incredible yet largely unknown ways that extra virgin olive oil can protect your brain health.

Olive oil: impossible trading environment

Industry representatives in Turkey are outraged with the additional import duty applying for olive oil in the US.

Italian extra virgin olive oil, record stocks: the oil crisis continues unabated

Over 108,000 tons of Italian extra virgin olive oil are in silos, a 139.6% increase in a year.

Then and now: California olive growers feared imports would destroy their industry

In 1912, California olive growers warned that cheaper imports could destroy their young industry. More than a century later, local production is established, but imports still dominate the U.S. market.

Olive tourism in Uruguay: for lovers of olive oil, good food and natural landscapes

The olive tree is part of Uruguay's DNA. It is an integral element of gastronomy, heritage, art, and national identity, and is even present on the country's coat of arms as a symbol of peace.

With geographical conditions similar to those of the Mediterranean basin —a region that concentrates around 90% of the world's olive oil production—, Uruguay achieved a good adaptation of the trees of European origin to its more humid climate and its lands, where they are grown on gentle slopes that favor drainage.

Czech farmers turn to sunflowers, experiment with figs and olives, as drought and heat intensify

Due to drought and heat, Czech farmers are looking for new crops that can better withstand such conditions. Increasingly, they are opting for sunflowers instead of rapeseed. In the eastern parts of the country there have even been attempts to grow figs or even olive trees.

Calendar 2026

10 August

Entries open, WA Olive Awards

www.oliveswa.com.au

21 August

Entries close, 2026 Australian International Olive Awards

www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au

28 August

Awards presentation dinner, 2026 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards - hosted by Olives South Australia

www.olivessouthaustralia.org.au

28 August

Entries close for table olives and tapenades, Hunter Olive Show - Hunter Valley, NSW

www.hunterolives.asn.au/how-to-enter

3 September

Entries close, WA Olive Awards

www.oliveswa.com.au

11 September

Entries close for olive oil, Hunter Olive Show - Hunter Valley, NSW

www.hunterolives.asn.au/how-to-enter

8 October

Awards ceremony, WA Olive Awards

www.oliveswa.com.au

15 October

Awards presentation, Hunter Olive Show - Hunter Valley, NSW

www.hunterolives.asn.au/how-to-enter

Email Laura to have your event included.

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Friday Olive Extracts brings the latest industry news and events direct to your inbox each week.

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For Friday Olive Extracts editorial and advertising enquiries, email Laura at comms@australianolives.com.au