15 March 2024

Brought to you by Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor www.olivebiz.com.au

Today's Top Story

Residents say community will be 'destroyed' after a legal case against NSW mine is defeated in court

Residents near a proposed silver mine in the New South Wales central west say they are "devastated" and "disappointed" by the Land and Environment Court's decision to dismiss a legal challenge that would halt the project.

The AOA and olive growers in the region are among those who’ve presented scientific evidence about the environmental and health risks presented by the mine; it’s disappointing indeed to see those facts ignored.

Australia

Farmers in western New South Wales say 3G service declining in lead-up to shutdown

Farmers around Hillston in NSW have noticed a decline in their 3G service. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Bridget Herrmann)

Farmers in western New South Wales say they have already seen a significant drop in 3G phone service, months ahead of major telcos' timelines to phase out the old technology.

Olive lace bug impacts crop yields for Victorian growers as global demand for oil rises

A native bug has been destroying Victorian olive crops, with some growers losing almost their entire annual harvest.

OLB is once again in the headlines this week, this time with some important messages about harvest biosecurity and the issue of abandoned groves. And while we’re talking about olive pest issues …

IPDM Project resources available online

The AOA’s OliveBiz website houses a wealth of industry information, including the resources produced by the Olive Levy project An Integrated Pest and Disease Management Extension program for the Olive Industry (OL17001).

Covering IPDM, Monitoring and Biosecurity, the material also focuses on key olive pests and diseases including Olive lace bug and Black scale, looking at identification, impacts, management and treatment options.

The resources include:

On-line Tutorials - Black scale, Olive lace bug, Apple weevil, Anthracnose, Peacock spot and Cercospora leaf spot.
Flyers - Black scale, Olive lace bug, Weevils, Anthracnose, Peacock spot, Cercospora leaf mould, Olive wood rots and dieback, Exotic pests and diseases, and Current chemical options for key pests and diseases.
Revised Field Guide to Olive Pests, Diseases and Disorders
Best Practice IPDM Manual

They’re all available on the OliveBiz website here.

You can also go straight to the most up-to-date information on Olive lace bug from industry pest and disease expert Robert Spooner-Hart, presented in the AOA Managing Olive Lace Bug Webinar, here.

Vegetable growers allege 'non-binding' agreements with supermarkets create oversupply and waste

Every year Australians waste about 7.68 million tonnes of food - that's about 312 kilograms per person.

And Australia's supermarket duopoly could be making waste worse, according to peak vegetable grower groups.

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.

Consumers flock to the farm gate as ACCC investigates supermarket prices

Meat subscription service Our Cow has seen a substantial increase in customers since the ACCC investigation was announced. (Supplied: Our Cow)

The country might be in the grip of a cost of living crisis, but some consumers are willing to pay extra if it means more of their money gets to the farmer producing the food.

Stay alert to hitchhiker pests

Do you work with newly imported sea containers or goods? If yes, keep an eye out for exotic pests!

Serious pests can hitch a ride to Australia in and on sea containers and in imported goods, and even the smallest bug can have huge impacts on our food and fibre industries, environment and economy. If these hitchhiking pests were introduced into Australia, it would cost billions of dollars to remove or control them.

In the last few years, more hitchhiker pests have been found at our international borders. The rise in these detections is due to the increased movement of people and cargo, the spread of pests overseas, and climate change.

So it’s important for everyone who works with or receives imported goods and sea containers to watch out for hitchhiker pests – and report any suspicious sightings immediately to the See. Secure. Report. hotline on 1800 798 636 or via the DAFF online reporting form.

Find out more about hitchhiker pests and how you can help keep them out of Australia here.

Opportunities

SA: On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme

The Government of South Australia and the Australian Government offers SA primary producers a rebate of up to 25% (maximum $25,000) for the costs associated with new on-farm water infrastructure or for repairing or replacing damaged infrastructure. Designed to support animal welfare during droughts, increase drought resilience by protecting high value horticultural assets, and aid in recovery from natural disasters.

Applications close 30 April 2024, or when funds are exhausted.

Find out more and apply here.

NSW: Energy Efficiency Grants for SMEs

The Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Round 2 is open for businesses in New South Wales to support upgrading or replacement of inefficient equipment to improve energy efficiency. The upgrades will enable industries to reduce their energy use, manage energy cost volatility in the long term and contribute to Australia’s target of a 43% reduction on 2005 emission levels by 2030.

Find out more and apply here.

Events

Fair Talk by Fair Farms, Episode 3

The third episode of Fair Talk by Fair Farms features Director/Associate Professor of the National Centre for Farmer Health, Dr Alison Kennedy.

Alison is a Behavioural Scientist who has lived and worked in Victoria’s rural farming community for almost two decades. Her expertise in rural/farmer mental health and suicide prevention has drawn on a range of innovative techniques including digital interventions, digital storytelling, community education programs and peer support models. Alison has led numerous farmer mental health projects and continues to build the Centre’s capacity and reach by working collaboratively with researchers, farmers and industry stakeholders across Australia and internationally.

Join host Amanda Higgins and Dr Kennedy as they discuss the importance of mental health, and its effect on growers and farmers.

Details:

3 April 2024 @ 12.00 AEST.

New Zealand

After two bad harvests, producers in New Zealand anticipate a rebound

After two years of heavy rain, olive groves in the Wairarapa are now coping with drought-like conditions. Photo: Vintiner’s Grove.

Less rainfall in New Zealand has sparked hope for the country's growers, but the drier weather has come with another set of problems.

International

Olive oil theft soars as organised gangs target ‘liquid gold’

Supermarkets across Spain are reporting increasing thefts of olive oil as demand and prices for “liquid gold” have surged in the Mediterranean. According to the Financial Times, olive oil is now the most shoplifted product in Spain’s most populous regions, surpassing traditionally sought-after items for petty thieves such as razor blades, alcohol and ham.

Olive oil stocks piling up

Türkiye’s olive oil sector has been struggling with restrictions on olive oil exports and is now grappling with excessive stocks.

GROWER TO GROWER

Helen has contacted the FOE team with a query about black scale: can you help?

We have a very small hobby olive grove in the Grampians, about 5 years old. This summer we've been very surprised to see a few of the trees have some black scale.

We're wondering if anyone else is experiencing this in the area or over this summer?

Are there particular varietals that are more susceptible to the black scale?

Any thoughts on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact Helen at energiansa@yahoo.com.au.

If you’ve got a Grower to Grower question, send the details to editor@olivegrower.com.au and we’ll put them out to the Friday Olive Extracts community.

GoodDay Sacramento: Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Are you looking for some good tasting olive oil? You don't have to look far. Molly Riehl is at Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Dunnigan Hills showing us what great tasting olive oil they make!

Great US TV promotion for Cobram Estate, the Australian olive industry … and EVOO, of course!

The Center for Olive Growing is opened in Herzegovina

There are currently around 300 hectares of land with olive plantations in Herzegovina. Olive growing in that part of our country is expanding, and the recently officially opened Center for Olive Growing of the City of Mostar will greatly contribute to a better approach to the cultivation of this culture since, in addition to research, it will also have an educational function.

Friday Olive Extracts – send us YOUR news

We’re now well into 2024 and Friday Olive Extracts (FOE) team 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!

Italians cut back on olive oil as prices surge, survey says. Producers are pushing back on that

One-third of Italians have reduced their consumption of extra virgin olive oil, a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet, due to skyrocketing prices, according to a survey released Friday. But Italian producers are pushing back against the data, saying the snapshot of consumer sentiment does not give a full picture — and that sales of higher-quality Italian extra virgin olive oil are actually up.

The rise of cycling in Italian olive groves

Biking in the Itri olive grove provides great views and the opportunity to taste local extra virgin olive oil. (Photo: Maremoto Outdoor Sports)

In Umbria and Lazio, farms and sport groups organize bike tours in the olive groves, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenery and taste local olive products.

Tunisia's olive oil exporters lament missed opportunities

Award-winning Tunisian olive oil producer Mustapha Mtiraoui could make far more money by exporting his produce in labelled bottles, rather than shipping it in bulk. But basic problems inside Tunisia’s olive oil sector, including access to financing, a shortage of bottling plants and the dominant position of a handful of bigger producers, makes that impossible, he says.