Biosecurity officers and detector dogs at the Sydney Mail Centre have intercepted two packages with plants that are known hosts of Xylella fastidiosa, Australia’s number one priority plant pest. Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, David Littleproud said Xylella was one of the most significant emerging plant disease threats worldwide.

West Australian scientists have made a breakthrough in the fight against chemical-resistant weeds, thanks to some similarities discovered in cancer research.

The New South Wales government will subsidise half the hotel quarantine cost of agricultural workers in a bid to remedy the state's labour shortage as the nation's crop losses exceed $52 million since December.

Apple grower Sue Finger says it's crunch time for Victoria's horticulture workforce. As her Vernview Orchard at Launching Place welcomed some of the first overseas farm workers returning to the state, Ms Finger has warned the industry needs to rethink how it sources labour during peak harvest periods.

The recent lockdown in Queensland has shown that it’s important to keep up with the changing status of pandemic regulations. You can access state-specific information on COVID-19 from the links below: 

Global research and health science publisher Elsevier has recently published a comprehensive and authoritative book entitled Food Fraud: A Global Threat With Public Health and Economic Consequences. The publication is a practical resource on the topic of food fraud prevention and compliance with regulatory and industry standards. It includes individual chapters dedicated to specific commodities or sectors of the food industry known to be affected by fraud, with a focus on specific vulnerabilities to fraud, the main types of fraud committed, analytical methods for detection, and strategies for mitigation.

Chapter 9, Fraud in Fats and Oils, was written by Australian olive industry experts Claudia Guillaume, Paul Miller and Richard Cantrill, covering the topic generally, then argan and camellia oils, and with a large section on olive oil. Their input is further recognition of the calibre of Australian knowledge and expertise, which allows us to cut above our weight in terms of global industry respect and acknowledgement.

Find out more about the publication here: Food Fraud - 1st Edition (elsevier.com).

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, extra oil - or even your grove. 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.

A recent spike in Queensland agricultural land values has prompted calls from the farming industry and academics to change the way council rates and state government rents are calculated for farmers.  

On 19 February, Australia and Japan agreed at the 7th Australia-Japan High Level Dialogue to progress the Statement of Intent (SOI) on Agri-Food Value Chains. Once agreed, the SOI will solidify the commitment of both countries to work together on supply chain resilience, export modernisation and future food systems to enhance market access and expansion opportunities.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for Round 2 of the Boosting Female Founders (BFF) Initiative are now open.

The BFF program commenced in 2020 to support women entrepreneurs to help grow and scale their startups into domestic and global markets by providing access to early stage capital. The Initiative was recently expanded, providing additional funding for grants and introducing a new mentoring element to further support women entrepreneurs grow their startups. 

Approximately $11.6 million in funding is available for Round 2, providing grants of between $25,000 and $400,000 on a co-contribution basis to successful applicants. The program is open to startups that are majority owned and led by women, with additional support available to under-represented groups including women founders from regional locations.

Find out more and apply here.

The Barossa and Light Regional Science Hub is presenting a learning session on creating your own Interactive 360 Virtual Tours, led by Tim Gentle from Think.Digital

Learn how to use your computer and smartphone to create virtual and augmented reality experiences, for marketing and training in farming, agriculture, viticulture, or retail business. You can see an example of the technology in action.

Sessions will be held:

Wednesday, 28 April 2021 at Hewett

Wednesday, 19 May 2021 at Freeling

Thursday, 27 May at Greenock

Bookings are essential and will close two days prior to each event unless booked out earlier. 

More information and register here. 

Applications for the New South Wales Government Export Assistance Grants are now open.

If you are an exporting business, or if you were exporting goods or services before the impacts of COVID-19, bushfires or drought, you may be eligible for an export assistance grant of up to $10,000.  

This grant helps eligible export businesses in NSW access global markets. Funds can be used for:  

This grant will be provided as reimbursement of 50% of eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $10,000 per eligible business, for expenses already paid since 1 January 2020.

Find out more and apply here.

Agriculture Victoria, the New South Wales Local Land Services (NSW LLS) and AUSVEG are holding a pest and disease workshop in Werribee from 12-3.30pm on Thursday, 29 April.

Speakers will present the latest information and management tips on a number of pests and diseases, including learnings from previous research undertaken on white blister, clubroot and anthracnose.

Hands-on activities will include identification of key threats and sample collection techniques, as well as a farm walk and in-field demonstrations.

Location: Wyndham Cache – 243 K Road, Werribee South, 3030 followed by farm walk (location TBD).

Lunch and refreshments provided. 

Due to COVID-19 requirements, you must register to attend this event. Please email, text, or call Madeleine Quirk at madeleine.quirk@ausveg.com.au or 0437 004 174 and include any dietary requirements.

Session 2 of the III OLEA International Project Networking Event is the Closing OEA Online Infoday, being held on 30 April from 5.45pm AEST (9.45am EU).

Commencing with a presentation on the EU R&I Policy For The Agrifood Sector With a Focus on Olive Oil, the program also includes an Australian Olive Industry and R&I Overview presented by Dr Robert Spooner-Hart, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, WesternSydney University (Australia) and Greg Seymour, Director IDISCorp; Past CEO, Australian Olive Association(Australia).

All interested industry members and stakeholders are welcome to attend.

View the full program here - Agenda III OLEA - Closing online infoday on 30th April 2021.pdf and register here.

If you're someone who uses a lot of olive oil every day, then Costco has a deal you'll be itching to buy. Apparently, according to Instagram fan account, @CostcoDeals, the big-box retailer is selling massive barrels of olive oil. However, you might want to consider just how much olive oil you use before you spring for the oversized container.

Unseasonably cold weather damaged blossoming olive trees in France, Greece and Italy. The full extent of the damage will be known in the coming weeks.

With 2021 now 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!

Despite the wealth of offerings of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) at our grocery stores, we shouldn’t get the idea that all are suited for the same purpose in our kitchens. And certainly that purpose is merely to coat leaves of lettuce in a salad. Or to heat any of them in a skillet or frying pan, then to get on with the rest of the recipe. EVOO is more profitably considered as a condiment, really, employed as it’s consumed in cultures other than ours. We have ketchup; the rest of the West has EVOO.

It may never join peri-peri chicken on the Nando’s menu, but olive oil ice cream had the gourmands salivating. A restaurant manager at the fast-food chain was crowned MasterChef champion last night after delighting the judges with his audacious final dessert.

Archaeologists are working to preserve the cultural heritage of the Leucocarpa cultivar as producers are starting to grow and transform the ivory-white fruits.

Europe’s olive oil industry is railing against the ‘unfair’ Nutri-Score algorithm and has launched the first international awards to assess the health benefits and flavour of olive oils in the hope the food labelling scheme will review its assessment criteria.

Olive oil is a kitchen staple in most households. In fact, most of us use it so much, we keep it on the countertop to avoid having to look for it every time, despite a less than appealing container. It’s no wonder you can buy separate bottles to transfer your olive oil into. But you can skip that step and access an incredibly high-quality oil that is also consciously produced with olive oil from Pineapple Collaborative. The brand is on a mission to deliver high-quality goods without sacrificing aesthetics.

Global Market Insights Seminar – The Middle East and Africa

Entries close, OLIVE JAPAN 2021 International Olive Oil Competition

Registrations close/samples due, EVO IOOC – Palmi, Italy

Farm2Plate Exchange 2021 – Scenic Rim, Qld

Winners announced, OLIVE JAPAN 2021 International Olive Oil Competition

Hort Connections 2021 – Brisbane, Qld

Entries open, Australian International Olive Awards

Entries open, Royal Adelaide Olive Awards

Entries open, Royal Tasmanian Fine food Awards

Entries open, Hunter Olive Show

Entries close, Royal Adelaide Olive Awards

Awards Dinner, Royal Adelaide Olive Awards

Entries close, Australian International Olive Awards

Entries close, Hunter Olive Show

Awards night, Hunter Olive Show

Results announced, Australian International Olive Awards

2021 National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition - Devonport, Tasmania

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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