09 June 2023

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

Today's Top Story

BoM declares El Niño alert, signalling higher chance of warm, dry winter conditions

An El Niño alert means a 70 per cent chance of an episode happening this year. (Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology)

The odds of a warm, dry winter and spring in Australia have been shortened, with the Bureau of Meteorology declaring an El Niño "alert".

It is happening, it isn’t happening … we think this means it now probably is!

GROWER TO GROWER

Alan Smith in the Hunter Valley has a Mori Tem Fratoino Bio: 50kgs per hour olive mill. It has a heating element for the malaxer for which he can find very little practical information regarding how best to use it. Can anyone with experience in using the heater please get in contact with Alan.

His best contact is shalumar01@gmail.com or 0419255949.

Have a question? Need some advice? Ask a fellow grower!

The FOE team regularly hear from growers with questions about grove or production practices, or equipment, that they just can’t find the answers to. They’re things other producers are likely know about and/or experienced themselves. So we’ve set up a new Friday Olive Extracts feature, Grower to Grower, where you can send your questions and have them answered by your peers.

Just send the details to editor@olivegrower.com.au and we’ll put them out to the Friday Olive Extracts community - that’s thousands of readers across the globe!

Australia

Farmers on WA's south coast say unattended roadside stalls are making healthy profits despite vulnerability

Roadside farm stall holders say the honesty payment system works. (ABC Great Southern: Sophie Johnson)

Farmers in Western Australia's south have credited "extremely honest" consumers with the rise in unattended roadside produce stalls across the region. Over the past few years, the number of unattended farm stalls set up near Denmark has grown substantially.

Soaking rains deliver boost for Victorian crop farmers as BoM forecasts further wet weather for state

A cold front sweeping across Victoria has delivered a boost to many crop farmers but opened up old wounds for flood-hit communities … The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a series of severe warnings and flood watch warnings, with predictions of widespread rain across the state.

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. 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.

Farmer wants a worker: Husband-and-wife team put out job advert with a difference

Damien and Carissa Schneider are using their sense of humour and the power of social media to recruit a much-needed farm worker. Mr Schneider titled his eye-catching spiel "Farmer Wants a Worker (wife position already filled)" on several Riverina buy, swap and sell social media sites.

Global confidence in Australia’s agribusiness food and beverage industry

In research published by Grant Thornton, Australia was the world’s fifth busiest deal making scene, behind only the US, UK, France and Canada.

Young women lead the charge as agronomy graduate program doubles participants

Zoe Fulton is working as a horticultural agronomist in Virginia, on the rural outskirts of Adelaide. (Supplied: Zoe Fulton).

Taking over the family farm was never on the cards for Zoe Fulton. She has instead chosen a career helping other farmers manage their land. While her uncle and cousins are managing the broadacre farm at Tumby Bay on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula, Ms Fulton said she was happy with her job as a horticultural agronomist.

More agronomists of any gender is a positive trend.

Cattle club steering St Francis of Assisi Primary School students towards careers in agriculture

At St Francis of Assisi Primary School in Baranduda, Victoria, the students know to pack their boots on Wednesdays for cattle club. The extracurricular activity started with bottle feeding lambs, and grew into the school starting its own Dexter cattle stud.

Translate that into planting and caring for an olive grove, and we’ve got the next generation of EVOO and table olive producers!

Opportunities

Women’s leadership scholarship nominations extended

Women & Leadership Australia (WLA) is currently offering professional development scholarships, open to women across all areas of the horticulture sector.

WLA supports women at all levels across all sectors and industries. Our career-defining leadership programs bring together a focus on applied learning with the latest in leadership theory and practice. We believe that advancing gender equity, especially in leadership, is central to creating a more fair and inclusive society.

Scholarships of $1000-$7000 for four leadership development courses are available for women in the Farming and Agriculture Sector. Find out more and apply here by 31 July.

Events

Closing date extended for 2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food olive competitions

The organisers of the 2023 Sydney Royal Fine Food Show have extended the entry period for the Olive Oil and Table Olive Competitions to Wednesday, 5 July, to accommodate the later harvest season for many olive oil producers.

More information and enter here.

WA Olive Council: temporary contact details

The WA Olive council is currently building a new website and their old site is down for the changeover.

So if you need any information you’d usually look for online, please contact Media Development Officer Ellen Slobe at entries@oliveswa.com.au.

And if you’re after entry details for the WA Olive Awards, you can download the Conditions of Entry and Entry Form here.

2023 Australian International Olive Awards - Entries now open

The 2023 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) is now open for entries.

Australia’s premier olive competition, with increasing international recognition and status, the AIOA provides benefits for entrants including:

Entries individually assessed and awarded on merit.
All entrants receive comprehensive judging feedback.
Successful judging provides eligibility for OliveCare® certification.
Unprecedented opportunity for international recognition of winning products and producers.
Official AIOA Results Book, providing a great marketing tool for all medal and award winners.
The opportunity to purchase high-resolution professional product images for use in social media, website and media purposes at only $35 plus GST.

Find out more and enter here.

“I work so hard and it’s just wonderful to get something for all the hard work. I put my heart and soul into it, and I think it’s paid off with this award…and it’s expensive to make, so the boost in sales is such a bonus. Instead of three bottles, now people will ask for 12 – when it’s won Best in Show, it makes a great present.”

Liz Tonkinson, Leisal Rose, 2021 AIOA Best of Show EVOO

International

Olive oil health benefits for dogs

Olive oil offers a wide range of benefits for dogs, including healthy skin, reduced inflammation, cardiovascular protection and reduced risk of diabetes.

Your editor’s Kelpie has had EVOO every day since he was nine weeks old: at his annual checks the vet raves about his physical condition AND his fur smells like herbs. Seriously! If you’re not dosing yours, give it a go - and spread the word.

Med Diet benefits similar to walking 4,000 steps, study finds

Researchers at a Boston hospital found that following the Mediterranean diet had a similar health benefit to walking 4,000 steps each day.

Some hope for growers as rain falls in Andalusia

For many producers in southern Spain, too little rain has fallen too late, with expectations of another poor harvest looming. Still, the rain lifted expectations.

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

The year is racing by and Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) continues and Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) will continue 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!

Smart labels on display at Italian food show

A solution that couples technology with transparency in olive oil commercialization is among the big winners at the latest Tuttofood event, one of Italy’s most prominent food expositions. The award comes on the heels of Italian producers’ increasingly widespread adoption of olive oil traceability systems.

Exploring the history of Tuscany’s iconic olive landscape

Castle of Capalbio, Tuscany, Italy.

Contrary to popular belief, the appearance of Tuscan hills densely covered with olive trees is a relatively recent landscape that dates back to the second half of the 19th century.

Farmers and consumers react to rising olive oil prices

According to commodity pricing data from the International Monetary Fund, global olive oil export prices hit a record high at the end of April. The IMF’s benchmark extra virgin olive oil export price reached $6,269.63 at the end of April 2023, eclipsing the previous record price of $6,241.91 in December 1996.