21 April 2023

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

Today's Top Story

Inmarsat I-4F1 satellite outage disables tractor GPS services for farming operations and some maritime safety

Technology in modern farm equipment allows operations such as auto steering when spraying or planting crops. (Supplied: deere.com)

A problem in a British satellite has caused an outage that is affecting some GPS services and some marine safety systems across the Asia Pacific.

A reminder that it’s always good to have a manual back-up!

Australia

Agriculture sector explores ways of putting solar panels in fruit orchards, farm dams

Lead researcher Ian Goodwin at the Tatura Smart Farm, the only solar orchard in Australia. (ABC Rural: Annie Brown)

Sectors of the agriculture industry are exploring new ways of placing solar panels on farms as renewable energy becomes more accessible and appealing. Incorporating solar into agricultural land is known as "agrivoltaics" and has been studied before with sheep grazing systems.

WA farm deaths inquiry finds 'risk-taking culture', recommends more inspections and safety education

An inquiry into workplace safety in Western Australia's agricultural sector has recommended establishing a levy on industry to allow WorkSafe to increase oversight and hire six new inspectors.

The message applies no matter where you are in Australia: use protective gear, use equipment only for its designed purpose, and follow safety procedures. Always. Please.

Avoid extra costs and penalties for your business by getting your super in check!

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has received an increase in notifications about employers not meeting super guarantee (SG) obligations - paying late, not paying in full or allocating to the wrong super fund. The ATO reviews every employee notification (EN) received and will pursue any outstanding amounts: they may notify other employees and can take firmer actions including the commencement of legal proceedings to recover amounts owed.

To meet SG obligations and avoid additional costs and penalties, ensure you:

pay employees their SG in full and on time by the quarterly due date;
pay the correct super rate of 10.5%, which will increase to 11% on 1 July 2023;
pay to your employees’ nominated funds.

If a discrepancy is discovered and employers are unable to pay in full, the ATO will work with them to establish a payment plan.

If businesses need assistance, have made a late payment or missed a payment, they can contact the ATO to find a solution.

For more information, visit www.ato.gov.au/superforemployers.

Record mouse activity in Mouse Alert

MouseAlert is a free resource that farmers can use to record and report the prevalence of mice before they become a major issue, providing notification to other producers in your region about changes in mouse activity.

Information you enter can be used to alert local biosecurity authorities and other people about changes in mouse populations, which can help everyone be prepared and reduce the problems they cause.

Find out more and enter your sightings here.

And while we’re on pests …

Eyre Peninsula locals urged to report feral deer sightings to prevent population explosion

The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board is asking residents to report deer sightings near their property. (Supplied: Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board)

Eyre Peninsula residents are being urged to report feral deer sightings to authorities in a bid to save the region from exploding population numbers as seen in the state's south-east.

If you’re in the area, or know someone who is, please do your bit.

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.

Local manufacturing to rescue for dried fruit industry as growers buy Australian-made harvesters

The first new locally manufactured dried fruit harvesters in 15 years have started arriving on farms. (Kellie Hollingworth)

A shiny new, blue dried fruit harvester is moving through the rows of vines at Robert Kennedy's Irymple property in north-west Victoria. But securing this essential piece of equipment has not been easy and has meant a return to local manufacturing for the first time in more than a decade.

AEMO ditches community meeting to discuss VNI-West transmission project with farmers

Tractors and trucks drove through St Arnaud as a part of Monday's protest. (ABC Rural: Emile Pavlich)

The Australian Energy Market Operator [AEMO] has refused to attend an energy infrastructure consultation meeting in western Victoria after hundreds of people arrived to protest the project.

AEMO have said they “want to be able to consult and engage with as many stakeholders as we can on the process”, citing an appearance on a radio program as “the opportunity to speak with the community”.

Opportunities

Shape the future of the Olive Industry: Expressions of Interest for the Olive Strategic Industry Advisory Panel

Hort Innovation, in partnership with the Australian Olive Association (AOA), is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from suitably qualified growers and other supply chain stakeholders for the Olive Strategic Industry Advisory Panel (SIAP).

The Olive SIAP provides strategic investment advice to Hort Innovation in relation to industry research, development and extension programs funded by industry R&D levies and matching dollars from the Australian Government. They are guided by the strategic priorities set out in the industry Strategic Investment Plan.

We are seeking individuals with the following skills and experience:

Post-harvest/supply chain (domestic/export)
Research/trials experience and or expertise
Knowledge or understanding of current extension and communications
Strong industry networks
Understanding of industry risks and challenges
Demonstrated awareness of innovation/new technology.

If you would like to help shape the future of the Australian Olive industry, apply by using the Expressions of Interest form on Hort Innovation’s website.

Applications will be assessed and shortlisted by a selection panel. The selection panel may then interview shortlisted candidates and will recommend the final panel composition to the Hort Innovation Executive and AOA Board.

For more information, please contact Nicole Byrnes, Industry Service and Delivery Manager at 0499 989 791 or nicole.byrnes@horticulture.com.au, or Michael Southan, Australian Olive Association CEO at 0476 760 160.

Public consultation on draft ag levies legislation opens soon

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is working on streamlining and modernising the agricultural levies and charges legislation. Public consultation on the draft legislation opens soon.

The draft levies legislation proposes to simplify the administration of levies, reduce legislative complexity and inconsistency, and increase flexibility in compliance matters. Consultation will be divided into two phases - Phase 1 in early May 2023 and Phase 2 in late 2023/early 2024.

Subscribe here.

to be notified when consultation opens.

Events

Support the International Day of Plant Health

The United Nations has declared 12 May as the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH 2023) to raise global awareness of how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development.

Our health and the health of our planet depend on plants but every year 40% of crops are lost due to plant pests and diseases, affecting global food security and agricultural industries, as well as ecosystem functions.

We all have a role to play in keeping plants healthy, so join in the celebrations and host a morning tea on 12 May to mark IDPH 2023. To make it easy, Plant Health Australia (PHA) has prepared a handy stakeholder pack to help with promotion, including posters, social media posts and images, email banners, bunting and cupcake flags.

You can download the resources from the PHA website here.

Consumer Outlook webinar

After two years of social disruption, consumers returned to a new normal in 2022, facing shifts in priorities and pressure due to the rising cost of living. In 2023, we are seeing consumers increasingly having to make choices about what they will consume to accommodate their budgets.

The Consumer Outlook webinar will share a perspective about current consumption behaviour and provide insights into what is becoming more relevant to different groups of consumers.

Details

Date: Friday 28 April

Time: 10.30-11.30am (AEST)

RSVP: Via this Zoom link.

This webinar is part of Hort Innovation's multi-industry project Consumer behavioural data program (MT21004). Delivered by Nielsen, the project provides regular consumer behaviour data and insight reporting for a range of industries via the Harvest to Home platform.

New Zealand

New Zealand growers' hopes not washed away by heavy rains

Photo: Totara Tunnel.

New Zealand’s olive farmers started harvesting late last month, and although many producers look forward to a bountiful yield, they have been affected by the significant rainfall in recent months.

International

'Aceite de Madrid' receives Protected Designation of Origin status

The extra virgin olive oil, produced primarily with Manzanilla, Castellana, and Cornicabra olives, becomes the country’s 32nd PDO.

An olive oil revolution is quietly brewing in Tunisia

Tunisia is the world’s third-largest olive oil exporter, but a history of selling in bulk has favored quantity over quality. Today, a group of artisan producers is pressing for change.

As harvest gets underway, South African producers face rolling blackouts

Olive oil production is expected to decrease in South Africa after consecutive near-record yields. Load shedding and political instability are among the main challenges.

And we get frustrated with our power system … pretty hard to run a processing unit without power!

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

The new 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!

5 reasons to start using extra virgin olive oil today

Extra virgin olive oil is a staple in the Mediterranean diet and has been used for centuries for its numerous health benefits. This healthy oil is loaded with antioxidants, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory properties. Here are five reasons why you should start using extra virgin olive oil today.

Simple, straightforward … and includes versatility for cooking. One to share with your networks.

The flavor difference between northern and southern Italian olive oil

When you're making quick grocery run to restock your pantry staples, you may not be thinking of all the flavor intricacies of olive oil. However, olive oil is actually just as complex as wine, and it's produced in different ways across the world.