Hort Innovation is developing refreshed Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) for levy-paying industries. The draft SIPs are now available online for you to review and provide your feedback. Your discussion and comment will assist in ensuring the final SIPs represent a balanced view of industry stakeholders, helping Hort Innovation prioritise and implement relevant R&D, marketing and export needs over the next five years.

Access the draft olive industry SIP here and the online feedback form here to provide your input by the cut-off date of Friday, June 4. Alternatively, you can discuss directly with the Olive Industry Strategic Partner Dumisani Mhlanga via 0447 091 186 or dumi.mhlanga@horticulture.com.au.

The final SIPs will be launched from July 2021.

Results have just been announced and Australian producers have once again made the industry proud with multi-medal success at both the 2021 OLIVE JAPAN competition and the New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC). 

Nine Gold and six Silver medals were awarded to Australian EVOOs at the OLIVE JAPAN event, with six Gold medals to Cobram Estate (Vic), two Gold and two Silver medals to Prema Bros (SA), Gold to ALTO OLIVES (NSW), and Silver medals to Fedra Olive Grove (NSW), Green Gold Farm (WA), Lentara Grove (Tasmania) and Longridge Olives (SA).

NYIOOC results saw five Australian producers – all Victorian - awarded a total of 13 Gold and two Silver medals. Cape Shanck Olive Estate and Cobram Estate shared top-billing with five Gold medals each, with Taralinga Estate taking two Golds and one Silver, Leontyna one Gold and Mount Zero one Silver.

Congratulations to all the winners!

You can read more about the competition results and winning oils in the coming June edition of the industry journal, Olivegrower & Processor.

States and territories across Australia have imposed travel restrictions on people who have visited coronavirus exposure sites in Greater Melbourne. A full list of the exposure sites can be found on Victoria's Department of Health website. Click on the links below to jump to the latest restrictions for the region, as applied by each state and territory.

The new lockdown in Melbourne reminds us all that 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: 

The Bureau of Meteorology's winter outlook is here, and while it's not bad news for farmers needing rain, they have been advised to view it with a degree of caution. The quarterly projection is suggesting above-average winter rain for northern, central and eastern Australia but below-average falls for parts of the west.  

The Farming Together team have been hearing two common stories lately. The first is from farmers who want to retire but their children aren’t interested or ready to take over the family farm. These farmers are looking for succession options that extend beyond 'selling the family farm'. The second is from young and/or new farmers who are looking for land to start farming. Often, these farmers don't have the capital to purchase farmland but are interested in finding out about the ways in which they can access land to start their farming enterprise.

Farming Together are interested in talking to those who have found a collaborative arrangement that enables the effective sharing of land. Your story will help develop resources to enable landholders, new farmers and experienced farmers to work together successfully to provide food for our future. 

If you have a story to share, please contact farmingtogether@scu.edu.au.

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.

NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey has agreed to make public internal government legal advice that suggests most flood plain harvesting in New South Wales is conducted without a licence and is "on the balance" an offence under state water laws.

The Australian Olive Association (AOA) operates a communications and extension program for the benefit of growers and our broader industry. With several years of the current program now completed, they are seeking your feedback to help measure the impact of the program. 

They want to identify the most effective platforms for delivering R&D outcomes and technical information to you, and how this information has assisted your business. They’re also keen know if there are other sources of technical information you use, to ensure they’ve got the right mix.

The survey asks questions about various aspects of the communications and extension program. All answers remain confidential and will only be reported as aggregated numbers or anonymous comments.

If you haven’t completed the survey yet, please grab a coffee and take five or 10 minutes to add your input.

Take the survey here.

In stark contrast to vocal members of the National Party, fourth-generation farmer Cindy Stevens and her husband Simon Wallwork believe agriculture must be part of the global push to make the industry carbon neutral.

On 14 May the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) released an Industry Advisory Notice for public consultation relating to its intention to increase the fees and charges for horticultural exporters, as a stepped return to full cost recovery by 2023-24 for its regulatory activities.

The expected commencement date of the new export fees and charges is 1 July 2021.

You can access the Cost Recovery Implementation Statement: Horticulture Exports 2021- 22 (CRIS), outlining the the key proposed changes to export fees and charges, here.

Exporting producers are encouraged to review the information, determine the financial impact to your business and consider making a formal direct submission to DAWE via the Have Your Say webpage. The deadline for input is Thursday, 10 June 2021.

The Australian government has recently provided a funding boost of $65.5 million for the Export Market Development Grants scheme, to help Australian businesses grow internationally.

The EMDG scheme is currently undergoing a period of reform and you can review the 2021 EMDG Guidelines here and have your say on the future of the scheme. Consultation closes 11 June.

Are you a member of a co-op or thinking of forming a co-op? Farming Together is giving away tickets to The Co-op Federation Assembly.

The event brings together inspiring and insightful co-operators from around Australia, and across the globe via video link, to demonstrate how co-operatives influence positive environmental, social and economic outcomes.

To be in the running email farmingtogether@scu.edu.au and let them know how a ticket to the Assembly would impact your business.

And find out more about the event here.

The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) continues to provide new and extended flights for export freight, including a strong focus on key Asian markets.

New and extended flight routes announced recently include: Brisbane to Dubai, Narita and Seoul; Melbourne to Narita and Seoul; Perth to Singapore; and Sydney to Narita. Incoming flights have also been extended. 

Contact your preferred freight forwarder to access available flights and for more information and flight details, visit the IFAM webpage or download the IFAM Flight Schedule Outbound.

The key dates have been announced for the 2021 WA Olive Awards, as follows:

23 August - Entries open

9 September - Entries close

20 October (TBC) - Results announced

The Information Pack & Entry Form will be available shortly on the Olives WA website: www.oliveswa.com.au

As part of the Agribusiness Expansion Initiative, Austrade services are upscaling to include events that deliver the latest Austrade insights to help producers expand and diversify their export markets.

Join these webinars and learn about the current state of play and key insights for the following markets:

 

In a repeat of last year’s tremendous success, six Extra Virgin Olive Oils made by New Zealand growers have taken out top awards at the 2021 New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC). Wairarapa producers led the charge with Loopline Olives awarded two Gold Medals, and one Gold each to Olive Black and Juno Olives. Kapiti’s Waikawa Glen also one Gold and Bay of Plenty producer Sapphire Olives won Silver.

As Olives NZ Executive Offer Gayle Sheridan put it so well, “New Zealand has once again punched well above its weight, with all entries scoring medals.” Congratulations to all the winners!

California’s water supply is critical to the state’s agriculture industry. Up to 80% of table olives come from California, and while olive trees are more drought-tolerant than other crops, that isn’t stopping Northern California olive growers from making significant changes to conserve our most precious resource.

The price of olives in France is now 50% higher than it was last autumn, with further repercussions expected to be felt in the cost of olive oil later this year. The health crisis has caused a shortage in a wide range of products globally, including fuel, metals, and food products – such as olives.

We’re now nearly 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!

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food price index, vegetable oil prices rose by 162 points in April, with a month-to-month increase of 2.9 points or 1.8 percent. The increase was driven by the rising prices of rapeseed (canola), soybean and palm oil. During the same period, olive oil prices held firm following a steady increase up until March.

Increasing production paired with rising vegetable oil prices is also expected to yield record exports and olive oil consumption levels.

A long and healthy life is on almost everyone's wish list, and lifestyle - including using extra virgin olive oil - can make a big difference!

Entries close, 2021 Sydney Fine Foods Olive Show 

Return of Invitation to Participate forms, AGOA – NE VIC

Closing date for entry forms and samples, AGOA – NE VIC

Soil Health and Biology Masterclass 2021

Entries open Olives NZ EVOO Awards – New Zealand

23 August

Entries open, 2021 WA Olive Awards

Results announced, AGOA – NE VIC

AGOA Presentation Dinner – Wangaratta, VIC

Entries close, 2021 WA Olive Awards

Entries close Olives NZ EVOO Awards – New Zealand

9 October       

Olives NZ EVOO Awards Dinner – Wellington, NZ

Results announced, 2021 WA Olive Awards

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

Subscribe to Olivegrower & Processor magazine secretariat@australianolives.com.au