Need workers for harvest, production, cleaning … anything?
The AOA has heard from Jacqueline Turner, a sommelier working with the Lucas Restaurants. Due to closures related to COVID-19, they have a team of casuals who are now without work for the foreseeable future. That means they’re available to head out to farms and food production sites to help out with production, distribution/sales, cleaning or anything else there is to be done. She said they’re up for hard work and are happy to travel. If you need workers and can help, contact Jacqueline Turner at
jacqueline.turner@lucas.online.
OliveBiz contact page
We’re expecting more contacts like these, so we’ll be setting up a page on the OliveBiz website –
www.olivebiz.com.au - which we’ll upload details to as they come in. We’ll update and provide the direct link in next week’s Friday Olive Extracts.
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Even the field: Nuffield scholar Ben Haslett said a National Water Register would provide farmers market information, allowing them to make informed decisions.
The calls for a National Water Register are growing louder, with supporters of the proposal saying it would be a quick and efficient way to increase transparency in the water market. Woolenook Fruits owner and Nuffield scholar Ben Haslett said the nation needed a water market, however it "should be for production and not just for speculative profiteering".
Meanwhile …
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The Water for Fodder program was to produce water to assist farmers. (ABC Rural: Brett Worthington)
Months after paying for much-needed water, farmers in the southern Murray-Darling Basin are waiting for the Federal Government's Water for Fodder program to deliver.
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Voluntary cancellation of methidathion
The APVMA has advised that widely used insecticide methidathion is being cancelled at the request of the holder, Adama Australia. Suprathion 400 EC is registered for use in a number of fruit, nuts, nursery, pastures, vegetables and forestry commodities to control a variety of scales aphids, bugs, caterpillars, mites, mealybugs and hoppers (see label for details ). There are also a number of off-label permits which will be affected by the cancellation.
Please consider wisely any purchases of methidation products to ensure that you do not buy more than you need to use in the next 12 months. Growers have until 4 February 2021 to use current stock.
For details of the cancellation,
refer to page 25 of the APVMA’s gazette.
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Australian farmers have stared down one of the toughest summers on record with rural sentiment bouncing back to its highest level in nearly five years, according to the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey. The survey results, released this week, reveal late-summer rainfall and strong commodity prices have boosted optimism about farm business conditions for the year ahead, reviving plummeting sentiment following one of the driest springs on record last year.
However the results are tempered by the ongoing recovery in regions ravaged by bushfires across the country and those areas where there is still a significant rainfall deficit and ongoing drought.
Download the full report
here.
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ACCC seeking feedback on ag machinery after-sales
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is calling for grower feedback on their after-sales experience when purchasing agricultural machinery. To that end, it’s launched a grower survey in relation to purchasing, servicing and repairing their agricultural machinery.
Access the survey
here and share your experiences.
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Theo and Matt are both
SELLING OLIVE EQUIPMENT
and they’re letting olive producers know through the OliveBiz Classifieds
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Your circumstances have changed and you’ve got equipment you no longer need but there’s undoubtedly another producer out there for whom it would be ideal. Let them know about it through the Olivebiz Classifieds – THE intra-industry way to sell, buy and source. If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, our online Classifieds service is an easy and inexpensive solution to advertise your unwanted equipment, extra oil or even your grove – like Theo, who has
production and warehouse equipment
for sale, and Matt, who’s selling a
large OFM olive sorting machine. 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.
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.
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The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has been working collaboratively with an industry working group to co-design a new onshore biosecurity levy. This levy will help fund Australia’s increasingly complex and challenging biosecurity system, supporting programs that cannot be cost recovered.
The government has remained committed to a biosecurity levy since it was first recommended in 2017 as part of the independent review of the capacity of Australia’s biosecurity system.
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Imagine if farmers could detect an airborne disease the moment it reached a paddock. An Australian start-up company called Bioscout, says it has invented a real-time sensor and monitoring system, that could save farmers millions of dollars.
To learn more, ABC Rural caught up with CEO Lewis Collins at the evokeAG conference in Melbourne.
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Feedback sought on changes to food processing qualifications
Redevelopment of the national food processing qualifications and skills standards is currently underway and industry is invited to provide feedback on the proposed changes. These include removal of three qualifications; deletion, merging or upgrading of units, new skills standards and changed assessment criteria.
These standards describe the tasks within the food and beverage industry, including edible oil producers and fruit and vegetable processors, and all industry members affected by the changes are urged to seek an understanding of what is happening and provide feedback by March 27.
Those unable to attend the webinars held on 19 and 20 March can access a video of the workshop, along with all draft materials available for feedback,
here or contact Julie Stafford for further details -
jstratford@skillsimpact.com.au or 0412 578 676.
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New $10,000 grant for bushfire-affected businesses
A new $10,000 grant for small businesses affected by bushfire is now available, in selected fire-affected Local Government Areas as determined by state governments, to cover expenses such as salaries, wages, utilities, fuel and/or financial advice.
Eligible businesses will have had revenue drop by 40% over a three-month period, compared to the previous year, as a result of the bushfires, via direct or indirect effect.
Applications are now open through your state government phone hotline:
- New South Wales - 13 77 88
- Victoria - 1800 560 760
- South Australia - 1800 302 787
These grants are in addition to the previously announced recovery grants of up to $50,000 and
concessional loans of up to $500,000 for eligible small businesses (including primary producers). More details of these and other help for Australian bushfire-affected businesses here
www.business.gov.au.
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Postponement of 2020 AOA Olive Oil Processing Workshop
The AOA has been forced to postpone the 2020 Processing Workshop scheduled for Boort on 16-18 April. The COVID-19 international lock-out measures mean that workshop facilitator Pablo Canamasas will be unable to attend.
“We apologise to those who have already registered and made arrangements to attend. We are in uncharted waters, however, and an early decision takes the pressure off everyone in the system, and allows us to concentrate on dealing with the likely difficult times ahead,” AOA CEO Greg Seymour said.
“Once the COVID-19 crisis has abated and there is some clarity about the future, we will revisit the workshop. All monies received will be refunded ASAP.”
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… and Healthy Soils Field Days at Boort (VIC) and Launceston (TAS)
The AOA has also postponed the Healthy Soils Field Days at Boort on 19 April, and Launceston on 3 May, until the COVID-19 crisis is over. Once again, new dates will be set when the future becomes clearer. Registration monies received to date for these events will also be refunded shortly.
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Message from the AOA regarding COVID-19
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“The AOA is committed to maintaining as much normality as possible during the COVID-19 crisis so the Healthy Soils Field Days in July and August are going ahead at this stage.
“We will begin sending Healthy Soils Field Day reminders again in June but you can register at any time for the NSW, SA, WA, QLD 2020 events
here. All monies will be refunded if the Field Days do not go ahead.
“The AOA is keen to help keep the regional economy going during the COVID-19 crisis, and to give something interesting and meaningful for growers to do, while fostering a positive community spirit in a safe environment.
“We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation to ensure we are taking the necessary measures to protect the health and wellbeing of staff, Field Day presenters, and event attendees when the time comes.
“Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work through this evolving situation.”
Greg Seymour - CEO, Australian Olive Association
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Get some fresh air at the Olives SA NOVA site chipping day
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The Olives SA crew is heading to Roseworthy again tomorrow, Saturday 21 March, for another working bee at the National Olive Varietal Assessment (NOVA) site. With gates open from 9am-3pm, the work plan is to clean up the previously pruned branches between the rows and put them through the chipper. Organisers recommend that a kit of yard/garden gloves, closed shoes, protective clothing, sunscreen, along with a picnic lunch and (big) water bottle.
OSA President Michael Johnston said it’s a big grove, providing plenty of opportunity to remain the instructed 1.5 meters apart while getting a good workout.
“Every hand helps. Come for the day or just an hour – everyone is welcome to join us.”
Contact Michael Johnston for further details 0149 815 839
mj@johnstons.net.au.
Note: the NOVA grove is on Mudla Wirra Rd, Wasleys SA 5400.
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Free workshop: Demystifying Industry 4.0 - Future-Proofing Australian Manufacturing - futuremap®
For SMEs in manufacturing, including food and beverage and agri-business, going digital is becoming a necessity. This interactive workshop is packed with industry examples to help evaluate your position across 13 key areas of industrial and manufacturing competitiveness. It will enable you to produce a point-in-time self-assessment and report that identifies both immediate and medium-term opportunities for growth and potential investment, future-proofing your business through Industry 4.0. Presented by Swinburne University in collaboration with IMCRC and the Victorian Government, the three-hour workshops are free, with refreshments provided. Participants must bring a laptop or tablet. Event details:
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At a time when Italy's agriculture sector was already reeling, the coronavirus lockdown has wiped out major spring events and promotional activities.
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And on the same topic, you may find this article from a Turkish olive oil producer interesting …
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We are evolving and so are the viruses. Unfortunately, Corona virus is one such example and it is something that causes different kinds of illnesses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and many more. Corona virus has never been detected in humans and therefore, it has been considered one of the most dangerous viruses spreading all over the world in a drastic manner.
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Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news
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With 2020 now well underway
,
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!
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A series of new quality standards for olive oil and olive pomace oil in Spain will be codified into law later this year. The measures include the implementation of a new traceability system throughout the production chain, the differentiation of how olive oil is regulated compared with vegetable oil and changes to labeling requirements.
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For companies that promote sustainability, packaging is moving toward novel materials to cut plastic. Photo: Getty Images.
As the global food packaging market approaches $400 billion by 2025, consumer desires and modern lifestyles continue to facilitate a shift in how people perceive food, according to “Trends and Advances in Food Packaging and Processing” from PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
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Thinking about the lifespans of trees can put a lot of history into perspective. In various places around the world, you can find trees that have stood for hundreds - if not thousands - of years. Consider the human conflicts that have come and gone even as these trees have stood, effectively impassive to the drama playing out around them.
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I love olive oil. I put it on my salads, my steamed and roasted veggies, and I even put it on my steak before I grill it. Studies such as the PREDIMED study suggest olive oil is a healthy fat that may have health benefits such as reduced cardiovascular risk.
This certainly suggests it should …
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Eating more than half a tablespoon of olive oil daily could lower the risk of a heart attack by 20 percent, say researchers at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health.
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2020
4 April
TasteBook™/OliveCare® Sensory Training Workshop - Perseverance, Queensland
23-25 April
2020 London International Olive oil Competitions – London, UK
May
2020 NYIOOC – New York, USA
9 -12 May
Berlin Global Olive Oil Competition 2020 – Berlin, Germany
18-10 May
EVOO-IOOC – Palmi/Calabria, Italy
20 June 20
Winners announced, Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition – LA, USA
12 July
AOA Healthy Soils – Healthy & Productive Groves Field Day – Hampton, QLD
17 July
AOA Healthy Soils – Healthy & Productive Groves Field Day – Cowaramup, WA
9 August
AOA Healthy Soils – Healthy & Productive Groves Field Day – Brucedale, NSW
16 August
AOA Healthy Soils – Healthy & Productive Groves Field Day – Tooperang, SA
September TBA
World Team Tasting Championship
11 September
Entries close, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW
16-18 October
AOA National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition – Devonport, TAS
22 October
Awards Presentation, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW
2021
16-17 February
evokeAG. – Perth, WA
7-9 June
Hort Connections 2021 – Brisbane, Qld
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Friday Olive Extracts is Published by:
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Olivegrower Communications:
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Olivegrower & Processor
December Issue
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Australian and New Zealand
Olive Industry Directory
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