The epicentre of this week's flooding rains was a stunningly beautiful valley south of Sydney called Brogers Creek. The rain gauge there recorded 933 millimetres of rain in four days to 9am Tuesday — more than the average annual rainfall for Canberra, Melbourne, or Adelaide. 

The rains have returned with a vengeance little more than a week after the Bureau of Meteorology declared a flood-weary nation rid of a La Niña weather pattern. The town of Windsor, north-west of Sydney, experienced its worst flooding since 1978 on Tuesday. The disaster begged the question — if La Niña is gone, then why is it still raining?

It is clear the weather has affected many growers, with damage to crops and also infrastructure, fencing, machinery, loss of topsoil, along with the coming time and investment in repairs. 

The floods are also having flow-on effects throughout the broader supply chain, including road closures and disruptions to a wide range of businesses. Affected growers are reminded to keep records, including photos, of the impact of the floods on their properties and businesses.

Information on the current situation, as well as assistance available, can be found via the New South Wales DPI website here. Primary producers and landholders can also fill out the Natural Disaster Primary Industries Damage Survey here for a simple method of recording damage and loss.

Patrick Mickan has been working the land in Beechworth for six years, growing vegetables to supply local restaurants and wholesale outlets. Upon starting, one of the first things he did was notify Indigo Shire Council that Beechworth Natural Farm was certified organic and biodynamic, and they did not want their boundaries sprayed.

Australians aged 30 and older are now eligible for a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The decision comes after recommendations from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) were accepted by the government on Thursday. While confirming the eligibility expansion, Health Minister Mark Butler announced 7.4 million people can get their fourth dose from July 11. 

With new variants and a new wave of infections spreading across the country, it’s important to keep up with the changing status of pandemic regulations across the board. You can access state-specific information on COVID-19 from the links below:

To keep climate change within limits that we can reasonably adapt to, the world needs to cut emissions at nearly the same rate it did during the peak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, scientists say.

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.

Tax time is here again and that means it’s time to check in with the bookkeepers and make an appointment with your accountant. This useful article by a tax expert has the lowdown on what you need to know about your tax return this year.

The peak body for road transport companies in Western Australia has warned the nation faces another AdBlue shortage unless the federal government supports new onshore manufacturing. Technically known as diesel exhaust fluid, AdBlue is an anti-pollutant added to most modern diesel engines, including in trucks and some farm equipment.

The annual Nutrien Calendar Competition encourages photographers across the country to submit an inspirational photo of Australian agriculture to be featured in the next year’s calendar. Take a snap of your cattle, crop or a great farm vista, and send it in for your chance to win prizes and be part of the 2023 calendar.

Prizes on offer are a $500 Nutrien Ag Solutions Pre-Paid Visa Card and your image on the front cover of the calendar, along with thirteen runner-up prizes of a $200 Nutrien Ag Solutions Pre-Paid Visa Card and your image featured inside the calendar.

Find out more and enter here by 31 August.

Area-wide management strategies for vector-borne diseases can help to prevent or minimise insecticide resistance, improve the efficiency of biological agents and limit the emergence of resistance-breaking strains of viruses.

In this Soil Wealth ICP webinar, industry-leading researchers from Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory will share the key findings and area-wide management strategies of insect-vectored viral and bacterial diseases.

Details: 12-1pm AEST, Wednesday 20 July. Register here. 

**Australia’s #1 disease risk, Xylella fastidiosa, is vector-borne, so this is an important topic for all olive growers.

The Perth NRM recently hosted an online workshop about the importance of water management in a drying climate. Topics included how to make the most out of the water you have, tips to improve water catchment systems and water quality.

The workshop recording has been made available to view here.  

You can also download the additional resources referenced in the workshop here.

A two-day workshop is being run in Central NSW to address specific issues that growers in that region and the Hunter Valley have endured over the past few years, namely:

As there have been many olive groves in the region which have changed hands in recent years, the workshop is also aimed at new olive growers, recognizing that they need industry information and support to produce olives profitably and to process the olives into high quality EVOO and/or table olives.

When: July 28 @ 8am-4pm (optional dinner); July 29 @ 7.30am-4pm

Venue: Rylstone Olive Press, Monivae, NSW

Workshop cost (GST incl): 

2 days AOA member/levy payer $165; 2 days general $176

1 day AOA member/levy payer $99; 1 day general $110

+ Optional dinner $110 pp + bus transport $33 pp

More detail and register here

The Greek national interprofessional association of table olives (Doepel) has rejected the ruling of the country’s Council of State, which stipulated that only olive producers of the Kalamon variety based in Messenia are allowed to use the term ‘Kalamata Olives’ to market their olives.

Reunited and on display together for the first time: the paintings that Vincent van Gogh made of olive groves. What did he think was so special about olive trees, and why did he paint so many of them?

We’re now well into 2022, 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!

The government of Pakistan has announced a new national action plan to improve yields by modernizing its agricultural sector. New technology in the fields, processing facilities and aquaculture will be deployed to strengthen the related production chains.

The International Olive Council (IOC) has included the Libyan White Tripolitaine Olive in the international register and the global encyclopedia of olive varieties for the IOC. As a result of the molecular characterization of the olive varietal samples performed at the Olive Varietal Identification Service of Cordoba University, we can report that DNA extracted from Libyan Olive collected leaves received not matching any variety in the world olive germplasm bank, the university said.

The European Union has expanded the territory of the Monte Etna PDO in Sicily, allowing more growers, millers and bottlers to label their extra virgin olive oil with the geographical indicator.

Research from Noto Sondaggi and Coldiretti shows that 72 out of 100 Italians plan to visit one or more farmhouses this summer. Farmhouses offer the opportunity for leisurely meals in picturesque surroundings and the ability for visitors to experience traditional agricultural and food production activities.

Entries open, 2022 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW

Central NSW Olive Workshop - Monivae, NSW

Entries close, 2022 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards

Entries open, WA Olive Awards

Entries close, 2022 Australian International Olive awards

Entries close, 2022 NZ EVOO Awards

Results announced, 2022 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards

Entries close, 2022 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW

Entries close, WA Olive Awards

Olives NZ Processing Practices seminar – Canterbury, NZ

Medals announced, 2022 Australian International Olive awards

Awards presentation, 2022 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW

Olives NZ Conference and Awards Dinner – Wellington, NZ

2022 Olives New Zealand Conference – Wellington, NZ

Field tour, 2022 AOA National Olive Conference & Exhibition – Devonport, Tasmania

Awards Dinner, 2022 Australian International Olive awards

2022 AOA National Olive Conference & Exhibition – Devonport, Tasmania

Awards Night, WA Olive Awards

SA Olive Festival - Nangkita Olives, Fleurieu Peninsula

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

Advertising: editor@olivegrower.com.au

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