08 May 2020

Brought to you by  Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor   www.olivebiz.com.au
Today's Top Story

Malaysia criticised the World Health Organisation on Monday for advising adults to avoid palm oil in their diet during the COVID-19 outbreak and use alternatives such as olive oil.
Australia
Andrea and Chris McCallum in their Devon Siding olive grove.

Extra virgin olive oil is a product not usually associated with the dairy farming district of Yarram. But a desire to learn something new, for and about themselves, led former secondary fine arts and English teachers Andrea and Chris McCallum to take a risk and establish an olive grove at Devon North.

It’s great to read some good news for a change - a bumper crop after several drought-induced losses.

Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of the spread of coronavirus to exploit and play on the fears of businesses and consumers across Australia. It is very difficult at times to know what communication is official.

And others … 
Fraudulent websites and ads have swindled farmers looking for cheap machinery. (ABC Rural: Jo Prendergast)

A number of bogus websites have been closed down, but farmers are being warned scammers are still active on commonly used trading platforms promising cheap offers for machinery. 

You’re better to trust the olive machinery specialists who support the industry via advertising in Friday Olive Extracts and the Olivegrower & Processor industry journal, and sponsorship and attendance at the annual AOA National Conference & Exhibition!
Theo and Matt are both SELLING OLIVE EQUIPMENT and they’re letting olive producers know through the OliveBiz Classifieds
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.
Olivebiz Classifieds are online now at www.olivebiz.com.au/classifieds. To arrange a listing, contact Gerri at editor@olivegrower.com.au.
Farmers are not on the frontline in this crisis. It would be wrong to suggest they are. Drought? Yep, they face it full on. A crop pest outbreak? They'll go to war with it. Market price gouging? They'll bear the brunt of that as well.

Nobody believes the coronavirus pandemic is a good thing, but Central Queensland cattle producer Melinee Leather feels in just a few short weeks it has achieved wonders in awakening Australians to just how easily obscure diseases can arrive and spread. The farm sector's obsession with strict biosecurity controls to prevent foreign diseases, pests and weeds landing here has suddenly gained a new level of understanding and empathy, she hopes.
There are calls for more scrutiny of foreign investment in Australia's water assets. (ABC News)

Chinese state-owned enterprises have acquired water entitlements in Australia and some foreign water investors face limited scrutiny by the Foreign Investment Review Board. Water ownership in Australia is an increasingly lucrative investment for both domestic and overseas buyers. The reduction of water available in key river systems has seen the price of water steadily rise.

If you're thinking of sending flowers for Mother's Day next week, order early because some growers are predicting a sell-out of supply. A lack of imports and a surge in demand for home deliveries have boosted the local flower industry, which was initially rocked when COVID-19 restrictions were imposed last month.

We reckon there’s a better alternative to flowers – healthy, delicious Australian EVOO and table olives. Better value, and better for Mum (and the family).
COVID-19 changes and harvest workers
It is now nearly two months since the COVID-19 outbreak led to widespread changes to social interaction and travel in Australia. These changes have had a major impact on how easily workers can travel to particular regions to look for work or take up a job offer.
Harvest Trail has released an update with useful information regarding what the changes mean for both workers and growers, covering topics such as:
  • different rules between state and territory borders;
  • travel for work and basic requirements for workers to enter each state;
  • the closure of state borders;
  • social distancing;
  • visa condition changes.
Access the update here.
Opportunities
New $500 million Government Loan Package for exporters

Australian exporters impacted by the COVID-19 crisis will have access to business-saving loans between $250,000 and $50 million under a new $500 million capital facility, to be administered by Export Finance Australia.
The new COVID-19 Export Capital Facility will target loans to established and previously profitable exporters who, due to COVID-19, are unable to gain finance from commercial sources.
More information here.
Australian produce heads back to export markets 
The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) is up and away, with several IFAM-supported flights now operational. More than 560 Australian businesses have registered their interest in using the IFAM and agreements for 300 freight flights have been secured to date. 
The IFAM is currently supporting flights from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide to help get Australian produce to international customers quickly. 
Register your interest
Exporters should submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to access IFAM flights. Further information on how IFAM works is available on the IFAM webpage, along with the latest flight information and schedules. 
Events
AOA Productivity and Profitability Webinar Series - Register now for Webinar 2
The second in the series of AOA Productivity and Profitability Webinars happens next Tuesday, 12 May, providing insight into the National Olive Grove Mapping Project. Presenters include Professor Craig Shephard and Joel McKechnie from the University New England, and AOA CEO Greg Seymour.
Content includes:
  • Introduction to the project and its role in the Olive Remote Sensing Project;
  • Benefits of a national olive map – e.g. grove and industry production estimates, biosecurity – including abandoned groves, natural disaster monitoring on olive groves (eg bushfires, Cyclone Debbie);
  • Mapping undertaken in phase 1 of the project;
  • Current progress in phase 2 and what is required to keep it updated;
A live demonstration will also assist participants to enter data for their own groves.
Background on the mapping project can be found here.
The webinar will be in Zoom meeting format and attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters. 
Details: Tuesday, 12 May 2020, 12:30-13:30 AEST, Free - register here.
International

Filippo Berio has announced plans to partner with the Italian National Research Council on a three-year research project in which they aim to improve understanding of Xylella fastidiosa. Under the initiative, 70 hectares of Filippo Berio’s Tuscan olive groves located between Lucca and Pisa will be transformed into an “open-air laboratory.”

And here’s more reason to be worried about Xylella …

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has added 37 new plant species to its list of Xylella fastidiosa hosts. EFSA said most of the plants had been naturally infected and were discovered in both European Union and non‑E.U. countries, including France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the United States and Iran.

30-Apr-2020 By Nikki Hancocks

Coronavirus has given a huge portion of the population both the time and the inclination to learn more about how they can improve their health and two women devoted to gut health education have seen their virtual education platforms flipped into overdrive with the tsunami of interest in everything probiotics, prebiotics and fermentation.

Let’s hope that tsunami of interest includes naturally-fermented table olives!

The recognition of the olive tree as a priority species is among the goals of the International Olive Council (IOC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the coming years.
Credit: Lea Nienhaus 

Lea Nienhaus, a chemistry professor at Florida State University, assembled this collection of household objects under black light to fight the work-from-home blues. From left to right, the photo shows olive oil, turmeric root, an egg, laundry detergent, honey, highlighter ink, and tonic ice cubes.

A bit of fun CV-19 lockdown trivia!
Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news
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!

The extension, in an area that was mostly spared by the virus outbreak that ran wild in northern Italy, has prompted local institutions to call on the central government to let their region set its own course of economic recovery.

After centuries of culinary tradition, the Mediterranean diet was formally defined in 1980. On its fortieth anniversary, experts reveal the health benefits that have allowed the diet to endure and look ahead to its future.
21-Apr-2020 By Katy Askew

Climate change threatens to cause ‘serious damage’ to the olive oil industry in Spain as less rainfall and reduced soil humidity ‘significantly reduces’ land area suitable to cultivate the main olive varieties.

The European Union released its monthly olive oil production estimates and total quantities produced so far, with Spain in the lead but falling behind last year’s record harvest and substantial outputs delivered by Italy, Greece and Portugal.
What's On
2020

May
2020 NYIOOC – New York, USA

12 May
AOA Webinar Series, Event #2 - Australia

9 -12 May
Berlin Global Olive Oil Competition 2020 – Berlin, Germany

18-10 May
EVOO-IOOC – Palmi/Calabria, Italy

19 May
AOA Webinar Series, Event #3- Australia

20 May
Entries close, Olive Japan 2020 International EVOO Competition – Tokyo, Japan

26 May
AOA Webinar Series, Event #4 - Australia

1 June 
Deadline for entries, 15th China International Olive Oil Competition – Beijing, China

2 June
AOA Webinar Series, Event #5 - Australia

9 June
AOA Webinar Series, Event #6 - Australia

20 June 20
Winners announced, Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition – LA, USA

1 July
Entries open, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards

September TBA
World Team Tasting Championship

4 September
Entries close, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards

11 September 
Entries close, 2020 Hunter Olive Show – Hunter Valley, NSW

5 October
Results emailed to entrants, 2020 Australian International Olive Awards

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

23-25 March
Soil CRC Participants Conference

7-9 June 
Hort Connections 2021 – Brisbane, Qld

To include your event, or update your existing event details, email FOE editor Gerri Nelligan at  editor@olivegrower.com.au
Friday Olive Extracts is Published by:
 Olivegrower Communications:
Olivegrower & Processor 
March Issue
Australian and New Zealand
Olive Industry Directory
Contact Us
Friday Olive Extracts Editorial  editor@olivegrower.com.au
Advertising:  editor@olivegrower.com.au
Subscribe to Olivegrower & Processor magazine secretariat@australianolives.com.au