NSW cracking down on water market speculators

The NSW Government is introducing new measures to crack down on anti-competitive behaviour and expose speculation in the water market, to address concerns raised by regional communities. Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the NSW Government would begin public consultation in November to determine what improvements should be made to our existing water registers.

Support for Basin communities, jobs and economic activity is at the heart of the next chapter for the Murray–Darling Basin Plan, says the Australian Government, as it announces investment of more than $230 million to ensure a sustainable and certain future for the Basin, its people, industries and environment.

The Murray–Darling Communities Investment Package, made up of 11 new actions, will support Basin communities who have endured years of drought, a summer of bushfires and now the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objectives of the package are investing in community resilience and river heath, building trust, transparency and accountability in government, and improving implementation of the Basin Plan. Read more here.

Councils operating regional airports have welcomed the federal government's late addition to regional airport security screening cost offsets, brought about by pressure from the Nationals in the Senate.

Charlie de la Barre de Nanteuil and his wife Julia are standing in the grand ballroom of their new home, contemplating the future. With its dark wooden floors, Georgian green walls and sweeping balcony with ornate wrought iron railings, the elegant space conjures up a bygone era.

The Australian Government’s Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has published a user-friendly guide to help small businesses protect themselves from the most common cyber security incidents. These happen each and every day to individuals, large companies and small businesses, and can be devastating for your business.

Understanding that owners and operators of small businesses are time-poor, the guide sets out simple measures to implement to help avoid, or reduce the impact of, the most common cyber security incidents. The language is clear, the actions are simple, and the guidance is tailored for small businesses, making it ideal for those learning about cyber security. 

Access the guide here and if you want to improve your cyber security further, there’s more information and advice on the ACSC website www.cyber.gov.au.

China's status as Australia's most lucrative farm export market is set to be strongly challenged by Indonesia in the next couple of decades, helped significantly by July's free trade deal with our near northern neighbour.

The bitter dispute over the mandatory fitting of rollover devices on quad bikes continues to heat up amid reports two more people have died in accidents on the machines in the past week.=

Four SA councils to-date have confirmed they will apply to be genetically modified-free regions, as the deadline to seek designation from Primary Industries Minister David Basham fast approaches. The Barossa, Mount Barker District, Yankalilla District and Onkaparinga councils will all apply to remain GM-free ahead of the September 30 deadline, with applications to be processed by November 15.

The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) is supporting new and/or extended flights from Melbourne to Narita, and Melbourne to Los Angeles and return. 

Eligibility for products supported by IFAM is now determined by a set of principles, including: Australian-made or produced; high value; time-sensitive/perishable; limited shelf life.

View the current IFAM flight schedule and associated information, and submit an EOI to access flights, here.

In addition to IFAM flights, alternative air freight options include domestic network flights, international repatriation flights and international commercial freight only flights. More information here.

Want to know more about soil biology, and how to improve the health of the soil and trees in your grove? Join soil and composting experts John Barton and Andy Gulliver for “The City in the Soil” on day one of the 2020 AOA National Olive Industry Conference and you’ll get all the answers!

The 2020 Conference is going online this year, being held via Zoom from Tuesday, 13 October to Friday, 16 October as four x two-hour afternoon sessions. Each will have a theme covering one of the industry’s current key topics and will feature outstanding speakers, delivering content directly related to olive businesses: 

All sessions will run from 3-5pm (AEST).

The interactive format provides plenty of opportunity for participant involvement, with Q&A and discussion time built into each session. Both the online format and the event schedule also greatly increased accessibility to the information, with plenty of time to get the day’s chores done then login and take part.

Registration is free for AOA members; for non-members the cost (GST incl) is $33 per session or $110 for the full program – or join the AOA first and attend for free!

Access the full 2020 Virtual Conference program and register here.

The relationship between climate and agriculture is complex with the degree of dependency being variable across different landscapes and management practices.

In this webinar, Senior Research Scientist Dr Craig Beverly from Agriculture Victoria will summarise the sources of available climate data (including historical, seasonal projections and future climate scenarios) and share examples of how to use these data sets to support insights for future agricultural production.

Details: Thursday, 8 October @ 12pm AEST (1 hr) – register here.

Pacific Co-operation Foundation chair John Fiso is urging decision makers not to overlook the opportunity to solve the horticultural industry’s looming worker shortage with a very real solution which will also benefit our Pacific neighbours.

Olive fruit fly populations in Spain have developed genetic resistance to a common type of pesticide used to control and eliminate them, according to newly published research from the Complutense University of Madrid.

The rise in diabetic patients in the last decade around the globe is alarming. Diabetes, along with Hypertension, is a silent killer. Apart from allopathic treatment for diabetes, following a healthy lifestyle is a recommendation of most doctors. A healthy lifestyle includes healthy eating habits, regular exercise, or at least walking. Adding olives to the mix can work wonders for an individual.

As the harvest gets underway in Sicily, three of Italy’s main agricultural organizations estimate this year’s olive oil harvest will be earlier and smaller than last year.

The latest data show signs of a possible recovery for olive oil price at origin in Greece. Local experts point to the advantages for Greek growers that might arise from lower yields expected both in Spain and Italy.

The year is flying past, and 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!

21-Sep-2020 By Katy Askew

Princes is leveraging blockchain developments to improve traceability and communicate its sourcing story to customers and consumers. Starting with its Napolina brand – but with plans for a further rollout – the company is working with Provenance to communicate this through on-pack QR codes. We spoke to Neil Brownbill, Italian Products Commercial Director, to learn more.

After being excluded from the first round of the United States Department of Agriculture’s COVID-19 food assistance program, olive growers are eligible for federal relief in the second round.

The olive harvest at Son Mesquidassa, Felanitx, has been brought forward by a fortnight. The earlier start than normal is on account of the impact of the storm at the end of August. Half of the olives were brought down, while the fruit that remained on the trees suffered.

Dan Flynn has announced he will resign as the executive director of the UC Davis Olive Center. His successor’s main challenge will be expanding the center’s financial base.

16-Sep-2020 By Oliver Morrison

An academic has urged food brands to innovate with carbon footprint labelling after a study discovered a lack of understanding among the general public about the carbon footprint of foods.

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Northland

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Hawke’s Bay

Results emailed to entrants, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Nelson

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Canterbury

Olives NZ Focus Grove Field Day – Wairarapa

Olives NZ 2020 Conference – Wellington, NZ

Awards Dinner, 2020 NZ EVOO Awards – Wellington, NZ

2020 AOA Virtual National Olive Industry Conference

2020 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation

Applications close, Olive Wellness Achievement Award

Results emailed to entrants, 2020 WA Olive Awards – Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition

2020 National Agriculture Day – Australia

Soil CRC Participants Conference

Hort Connections 2021 – Brisbane, Qld

AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition – Devonport, TAS

To include your event, or update your existing event details, email FOE editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au

Friday Olive Extracts Editorial editor@olivegrower.com.au

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