The first-ever pizza party in space is getting sky-high reviews. Astronauts at the International Space Station posted pictures and a video over the weekend of their small, made-from-scratch pizzas.
And among the crucial fixings flown up to quell the astronauts’ cravings were, of course, olives and olive oil – an
Everyday
part of life, even in space!
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The Regional Wellbeing Survey supports research that improves the wellbeing and quality of life of people living in rural and regional Australia. To achieve this, each year people living in rural Australia can take part in a survey on issues ranging from how your community is changing to your health and your wellbeing. By completing the survey you also go into a draw to win one of 16 prizes worth a total of $7,000. Complete survey
here before December 21, 2017.
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AOA Christmas office closure – Seasons greetings to all!
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A reminder that the AOA office will be closed from next Monday, 18 December 2017 through to Friday, 12 January 2018 inclusive for the holiday break.
The AOA Board and staff wish all members and industry associates a safe, happy and relaxing Christmas, and a great start to the new year. With Harvest Week 2018 and lots of other positive initiatives in the planning, it’s set to be an exciting and productive year for the Australian olive industry – hopefully in your groves too!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
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Hort growers are asked to participate in the Australian Government’s two-year Seasonal Work Incentives Trial, encouraging seasonal workers to earn more income without affecting their income support payment. More information
here and and a fact sheet
here.
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Enjoying your weekly
Friday Olive Extracts
?
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We hope you’re all enjoying your weekly edition of
Friday Olive Extracts
(FOE),
bringing all the latest industry news and events to your Inbox in an even more timely manner. THE place to share olive industry news and last-minute event reminders, the 2017 weekly format has been another great step forward for our increasingly popular industry e-newsletter, and we now have nearly 4000 subscribers across the globe. If you’re not one of them, you can sign up
here
.
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Don’t miss the latest edition of Hort Innovation’s Hortlink, which provides an update on all new, current and recently completed levy-funded activity in each levy industry. Hortlink includes easy-to-read project updates, results and resources you can use in your business, plus case studies, industry contacts and more. You can choose to browse the whole olive snapshot or use the interactive project list to jump straight to the information you want. Also look out for the 'ACT NOW' tags to easily identify project resources and information you can make use of straight away. Check out the olive section at
www.horticulture.com.au/hortlink-2017-edition-4/olive.
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Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
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AOA Biosecurity Representative Peter McFarlane has received the following information from the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests (CCEPP):
“People living and visiting the Glendenning area of western Sydney are asked to keep an eye out for Brown marmorated stink bug, following the detection of these invasive insects at a warehouse in that area.”
McFarlane said that unless BMSB spreads further afield: “I don’t see it as panic stations for olive producers – rather a reminder to growers to have an on-farm biosecurity plan and to exercise good biosecurity practices.”
More information on BMSB
here.
And while we’re on biosecurity, make sure you read grove consultant Mike Thomsett’s report on “Xylella fastidiosa and Australian olive growers” in the December edition of Olivegrower & Processor.
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$5m Coles grants for SME business growth
The Coles Nurture Fund annually offers up to $5m in grants and $5m in interest-free loans to existing small to medium Australian producers, farmers and manufacturers to help innovate and grow business. Application deadline is January 19. More information
here.
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Masterclass in Horticultural Business
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Registrations are now open for the 2018 Masterclass in Horticultural Business, a 10-month flexible online course providing practical business management and leadership skills for the horticultural industry. Designed by Hort Innovation, the Wageningen Academy and Lincoln University (NZ), topics include business strategy, people management, marketing, financial and legal planning, and innovation. Interactive short online lectures enable you to work around current work demands, there are no exams and all assessment activities culminate in a business strategy to grow your current or future business.
On-line material is supplemented by three two-day face-to-face sessions held in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, each including visits to a wide range of horticultural businesses of different sizes, structure and complexity and with different market channels.
Industry-supported scholarships of $10,000 each are available, and on completion participants will graduate with a Diploma in Horticultural Business. More information
here.
AGVET chemicals funding
Primary producers seeking access to a wider range of ag and vet chemicals are asked to contact their industry RDC to apply under the Access to Industry Priority Uses of Agvet Chemicals Program. The grants program helps industry gain or maintain access to the identified priority uses of agvet chemicals. The 15 Australian incorporated Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) are eligible to apply for funding totalling $1.78m. Deadline for applications is 2pm, 15 December. Eligible olive-industry RDCs include Horticulture Innovation Australia and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation; contact them for more information and to get involved.
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Processing Practices Seminar
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A session of last year’s seminar, held at Wells Grove Estate
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Olives NZ has confirmed it will hold the “How Processing Practice impacts on Quality and Quantity” seminar in Auckland on 9-10 April 2018. The seminar will again be run by internationally-acclaimed expert Pablo Canamasas.
“How processing practices impact on the quality and quantity of the product produced is a hot topic for everyone in the olive industry - particularly with reports from members that winning Gold medals is a major differentiator in selling their oil at a reasonable price,” ONZ EO Gayle Sheridan said.
The two day course will cost $500 (incl GST) for members or $1,000 (incl GST) for non-members. Registration forms will be available in January.
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Focus Grove Project update
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Dates have now been set for the next round of ONZ Focus Grove Project field days, to be held in March 2018 as follows:
- Thursday 15 - Nelson
- Friday 16 - Canterbury
- Monday 19 - Wairarapa
- Wednesday 21 - Northland
- Friday 23 - Hawke’s Bay (in conjunction with the AGM weekend).
There are some great new FGP Reports and Fact Sheets available on the Olives NZ website
here.
You can read FGP consultant Dr Stuart Tustin’s
Summary of Focus Grove progress to date and key learnings
in the coming December edition of Olivegrower & Processor – landing in letterboxes soon.
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The Mediterranean diet is ranked as one of the most healthful diets on the planet … new evidence has emerged suggesting that this diet also has a long-term positive impact on cognitive function, is linked to less cognitive decline and improved memory, and most intriguingly results in a lower risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s all down to autophagy, it seems. Better learn more – and eat more EVOO!
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of nature’s greatest gifts; it is full of incredible health benefits and tastes delicious. For many years there was a misconception that olive oil should not be used for cooking, but this is a myth that has been completely dispelled. Not only does it hold up well with many different cooking applications, it also adds great flavour to food.
More great messages getting out there – and some deelish recipes too!
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Layne Lieberman: Coconut oil cooking spray
While I agree that “everything in moderation” works for most people, I almost fell off my seat when an acquaintance of mine informed me that upon returning from seeing her family over the holidays, she was thrilled to learn that they were making healthy dietary changes by giving up olive oil for coconut oil.
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From at least the 14th century, Jews have celebrated Hanukkah by deep-frying pastries — Iraqi zengoula, Indian jalabi, Spanish and Mexican buñuelos, Italian frittelle, Israeli sufganiyot — and, since the 19th century, pan-frying potato latkes. But it’s the oil — specifically olive oil — and not the cooking method that’s commemorated during the festival of lights.
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The latest data from the International Olive Council for the 2016/17 campaign reveal a decline in olive oil consumption, particularly in Europe. But the outlook for the 2017/18 season is better.
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05-Dec-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford
With consumer interest in fermentation, raw foods, probiotics, authentic cuisine and sustainable production all on the rise, Legacy III Partners is introducing to the US Alive & Well Organic Probiotic Olives, which check all these boxes by using traditional manufacturing processes “that have nearly been lost today,” according to a company founder.
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2018
March
- World Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting Team Championship, Priego de Cordoba, Spain
Simon@savantes.com
15-23 March - ONZ Focus Grove Project field days – various regions, NZ
19-23 March
– IRTA Olive Oil Evaluation Course - Barcelona, Spain
9-10 April – Olives NZ Processing Seminar - Auckland, NZ
12 April
- registration closes for OLIVE JAPAN 2018 – Tokyo, Japan
8-9 June
- OLIVE JAPAN international trade show 2018 – Tokyo
24-26 June - Fine Food New Zealand – Auckland, NZ
18-19 October
- AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition 2018 - Wagga Wagga, NSW
To include your event, or update your existing event details, email FOE editor Gerri Nelligan at
wordsync@bigpond.com
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Friday Olive Extracts is Published by:
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Olivegrower & Processor
September Issue
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Australian and New Zealand
Olive Industry Directory
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