Small producers were in the spotlight at last Friday’s 2021 Australian International Olive Awards Virtual Presentation, taking all four of this year’s major awards.  

With production of just 500L, New South Wales producer Leisal Rose took the award for Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Show - Boutique Volume. The twin award for Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Show - Commercial Volume went to South Australia’s Elisi Grove, also a small producer on the commercial scale and a trophy winner in previous years.

Also taking major awards were Victorian producers Olive Twist, which won Best Flavoured Olive Oil of Show for its Lime Agrumato; and Saluté Oliva, awarded Best Table Olive of Show for its unique Semi Dried Olives.

Judged by panels in Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Tunisia, China and across Australia, this year’s competition saw near-record oil entries, with exceptional quality across all classes, so these producers really are the best of the best!

Full results are available on the AIOA website here and we’ll celebrate the winners in the December edition of Olivegrower & Processor. In the meantime, congratulations to all who earned (because we all know you really do ‘earn’ them!) medals and/or trophies at this year’s competition.

It has been dubbed the most prestigious olive competition in the southern hemisphere and now Rosslyn and David Kemp can say they are champions of it.

Australia’s premier olive competition, the Australian International Olive Awards, announced the 2021 winners last night. Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) of Show Boutique Volume went to Leisal Rose Farm. The small NSW producer’s EVOO topped the judges’ scores with a rare 96/100, also winning a gold medal and Champion Mild EVOO, Champion New South Wales EVOO, Champion Australian EVOO, Best Southern Hemisphere EVOO.

Biosecurity officers at the Sydney Gateway Facility recently intercepted a mail parcel with two live rooted rose plants, which are known hosts of Australia’s top plant disease threat. Head of Biosecurity at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Andrew Tongue, said importing plants carried a huge risk of plant diseases.

The heavy vehicle industry is cracking down on what it calls "unfair competition" by making it harder for people to get away with misusing primary producer vehicle registration concessions. Farmers can access cheaper registration for their trucks under the primary producer concession.

A group of Western Australian farmers have become champions for Australia's path to net zero emissions, saying urgent action is needed. It appears increasingly likely Prime Minister Scott Morrison will commit Australia to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 at the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow.

As greenhouse gas levels rise globally, just how much extra carbon dioxide can trees absorb? That is the question scientists in Australia, and the United Kingdom have been trying to answer.

While lockdowns have lifted in NSW and Melbourne, it’s still 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:

It's tough keeping up with the myriad of different rules and advice across states, with COVID-19 vaccine mandates the latest curve ball. State governments are increasingly bringing in rules for the rural workforce, which is transitory by nature. So, what are the different rules?

Queensland's entire east coast south of Townsville could get showers and severe thunderstorms this afternoon, with the potential for damaging winds and large hail. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the inland low pressure system that has been causing showers over the past week will remain until tomorrow.

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 - like Russell, who’s got fresh 2021 Frantoio EVOO for sale. 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.

E-commerce is changing fast in markets across Southeast Asia. This new insight suggests five factors to consider for Australian exporters who want to use e-commerce to grow exports in the region.

Find out more here.

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment want agricultural exporters to share their experience of exporting from Australia. Feedback will help to improve exporting services.

Find out more and register your interest in participating here.

The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is hosting online information sessions on Thursday 28 October for its Masterclass in Horticultural Business. Since launching in 2017, the Masterclass has helped professionals from across the country turn their business ideas into actionable business plans.

The Graduate Diploma in Agribusiness: Masterclass in Horticultural Business is designed to equip current and future farm managers, owners and employers with the agribusiness skills and capabilities required to run profitable and sustainable farm business. The course is delivered through a mix of flexible online and face-to-face learning.  

Online information sessions are running for employers at 10am-11am (AEDT) and for students at 7pm-8pm (AEDT). 

More information and register here.

 

As part of Research Week, the Environment and Sustainability Theme will present a webinar on Innovation in Sustainable Food Production: Challenges and Opportunities in a Changing World.

Details: Friday, 29 October from 1-3pm.

More information and book here.

It’s now less than a week until the big event and registrations have now closed, with thousands signed up to join Cobram Estate’s record-breaking attempt. The in-person tasting record set in Spain in 2009 had 12,909 attendees, so they need everyone to attend on the night to beat this number and put Australian EVOO on the global radar in a different way.

Here's a reminder of what’s happening:

Guinness World Records Virtual Tasting event – Thursday, October 28 from 7:30-8:30pm AEDT (SA/WA/NT/QLD please check for time differences). 

We’ll let you know the outcome as soon as it’s announced – this is a great opportunity to promote Australian EVOO and the Australian olive industry, so let’s all make sure we get behind it.

Later this month, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) will host episode five in their Australian Biosecurity Series titled ‘Protecting Australia’s plant health’. With speakers from the Plant Innovation Centre, DAWE and PHA, the webinar will explore the status of plant biosecurity including key pests and diseases and how the risks are managed. 

Email biosecurity.education@awe.gov.au to become part of the biosecurity webinar series distribution list and receive more information.

The 2021 AOA National Virtual Conference was held last week with strong attendance numbers across all sessions. Included was some great problem-solving discussion, particularly around issues like pruning, which no doubt has many growers busy in their groves this week.

For those who attended, your feedback is important to the organisers for future planning and improvement. It’ll only take 1-2 minutes to complete, so if you haven’t done so already please fill out the post-event feedback survey here now. 

Links to the conference recordings will be sent to all registrants separately via email in the coming days.

The latest short-term projections show limited growth in exports and steady production. While olive oil prices rose last year, so did production costs.

Our expert tasters reviewed Brightland and were unimpressed. An examination of the brand's web marketing and labeling yielded even worse results.  

A group of survivors of a mass rapeseed oil poisoning 40 years ago have occupied Madrid’s El Prado Museum and have threatened to commit suicide if the Spanish government does not respond to their demands. Here are some key facts about the scandal over what was Spain’s worst food poisoning epidemic.

We’re now more than half-way through 2021, 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!

Producers in Japan expect this year’s yield to match last year’s. However, typhoon season has led to different outcomes across the country.

Producers in Spain expect a lower olive oil yield in the 2021/22 crop year than they harvested in 2020/21, data presented by officials at Expoliva 2021 indicate.

Olives NZ Focus Grove Project Field Day – Nelson, NZ

Olives NZ Focus Grove Project Field Day – Canterbury, NZ

World’s Biggest Virtual Olive Oil Tasting

Olives NZ Focus Grove Project Field Day – Wairarapa, NZ

Olives NZ Focus Grove Project Field Day – Northland, NZ

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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