Goodbye and thank you to “the impressive Peter McFarlane”

At the end of September your editor’s job became harder following the retirement of industry shaker and mover, Peter McFarlane. We joined the industry at around the same time and Peter has been a constant source of information, factchecking and answers ever since. His generosity, humour and ‘no BS’ manner have made working with him a pleasure, and his encyclopaedic knowledge of industry matters has solved a multitude of queries. As we say farewell, let’s take a look at Peter’s work and legacy, from both his own perspective and those who have worked with him.

“Farewell and best of success for the Australian olive industry.

“I have really enjoyed working with the AOA Board and staff, as well the many olive industry participants I have met over the past 13 years, in particular OliveCare® members.

“My olive industry involvement commenced in 2008, working with Olives SA and PIRSA to develop and implement a ‘voluntary olive industry levy’ and a ‘levy funds management plan’ for the South Australian olive industry. This scheme operated from 2009 until 2013, when it was replaced by the National Statutory Olive Levies.

“The SA voluntary olive levy generated significant interest nationally, resulting in my appointment in 2009 as chief investigator of RIRDC Project PRJ-005287: National Olive Industry Levy Consultation, working with the Board of the AOA and RIRDC to progress a National Statutory Olive R&D levy, and Biosecurity (EPPR) levy. These levies were eventually approved by the Australian Government and implemented in May 2013, funding important industry research and development work.

“Concurrently with this levy work, I was appointed by the AOA Board to several industry roles including: • since 2011 I have served as Convenor of the AOA’s National Table Olive

Committee (NTOC), a sub-committee of the AOA Board, comprising table olive specialists and producers, which worked to develop and successfully implement a Voluntary Industry Standard for Table

Olives in Australia, and to address other table olive sector issues; • from 2011 to 2019 I was appointed as the AOA’s Table Olive Competition

Chief Steward, working with a panel of impressive table olive judges; • in 2012 I was honoured as the recipient of the AOA’s Services to Industry Award; • since 2012 I have served as the AOA’s

Code of Best Practice Administrator (later rebranded OliveCare®), a program funded by the Olive Levy and the

Commonwealth of Australia through

Hort Innovation Projects OL13007 &

OL17006; • since 2013 I have served as the AOA’s

Agri-chemical Permits Co-ordinator, to ensure the Australian olive industry continues to have access to approved and efficacious pest and disease control solutions; • from 2016 to 2020, I served as the

Tastebook® Program Co-ordinator - a sensory training initiative pioneered by

AIOA Chief Judge Shane Cummins, which shares the experiences of appreciating, describing, and understanding the

As National Olive Industry Levy Consultant, McFarlane worked with then-CEO Lisa Rowntree and the AOA Board towards the end result of “a total R&D funding package for an effective, vibrant industry”.

Michael Thomsett - AOA President “On behalf of the AOA Board of Directors and the entire membership, I would sincerely like to thank Peter for his most valuable contributions. Peter is leaving a legacy, not only to the membership but to the Australian industry. “Peter's accomplishments for the industry have included work in Biosecurity, OliveCare®, the industry levy, market surveillance, and chemical and organic registrations and permits. “His communications, and especially the OliveCare® newsletter, have been technical and accurate, detailed, comprehensive and widely well received. “We look forward to the 2022 National Conference, where hopefully Peter can join us for a personal thank you.”

Lisa Rowntree - Producer, AOA Director and previous CEO Thank you, Peter! “I appreciate the opportunity to say a few words about Peter McFarlane’s retirement from the olive industry. “I first met Peter when he began coming to our Olives SA Board meetings in 2006. We were having a committee meeting and in walked a bloke who resembled Father Christmas, with his thick white beard and authoritarian voice. I expected him to jingle a bell and yell out “ho ho ho”, but he didn’t, he just pulled out a seat and started listening in. Eventually he started to offer comments on various matters, and I remember thinking, this bloke is pretty smart and knows a lot about the intricacies and inner workings of Government. Peter quickly made himself an invaluable member of the team. “One of Peter’s first achievements was helping to establish a state-based voluntary contribution (levy) in South Australia. We had both spent an enormous amount of time on this initiative and were pleased when it finally got up. Peters’ knowledge around what was required to bring about a levy was incredibly useful, and his writing skills were second to none. “Soon after I became CEO of the AOA and in 2010, the board contracted Peter to help the AOA establish a National Olive Levy. As with all things, there are some that love what you do and some that don’t. Throughout this process, which was sometimes quite tough, Peter remained stoic, focussed and calmly steered us through the journey. I was very appreciative of his persistence and fortitude. “In 2012 Peter was awarded a Service to Industry Award at the Australian Olive Industry Conference, which was thoroughly deserved. “The great work of Mike Baker (WA) in managing the industry’s chemical permits register was handed over to Peter in about 2013, so that Mike could retire. Peter took to the challenge with gusto and immersed himself in this important part of the industry, ensuring that relevant required chemicals were reviewed, renewed and made available to growers. “Peter was instrumental in setting up the National Table Olive Committee that went on to write the Code of Practice for Table Olives, and has overseen and worked on many revisions of that document. The Code is one of those documents that can get large and unruly, but Peter always strived to keep it simple and meaningful for growers. “Peter has assisted the Australian olive industry at many levels, but authenticity remains a great passion. Peter has always wanted consumers to have the best EVOO and table olive experience possible and has held us growers to a high standard. He has been diligent in managing Code signatories, ensuring data was provided annually to ensure compliance. He has looked after the intellectual property of the Code, undertaken marketplace testing and written an excellent newsletter to keep us all informed. “Peter has also actively assisted in organising workshops, field days and National Conferences. He’s judged at many olive oil judging and organised table olive competitions. There really is not one area of the industry Peter hasn’t been involved in at one time or another. “It is Peter's unending optimism that has seen us through tough times, and I’ve really appreciated his innovative approach to hard situations, passion and commitment, but most of all his friendship and support. “Thank you, Peter, from the bottom of my heart, for all that you’ve done for the industry: your efforts will always remain appreciated. “Best wishes to you, Jan, Meg, Mohammed and Mo on your next adventures.”

In recent years McFarlane has been an integral part of the industry’s knowledgesharing programs, including the highly popular national series’ of Healthy Soils – Healthy and Productive Groves field days and TasteBook®/OliveCare® Sensory Training Workshops.

quality of EVOO, flavoured olive oils and table olives; • since 2017 I have served as the AOA’s

Biosecurity Representative to Plant

Health Australia, working to ensure the Australian olive industry continues to develop biosecurity awareness and preparedness programs.

“Significant industry developments that I have contributed to over recent years include a strong interest and engagement with the table olive sector, and an increased focus on product quality and testing; risk management, including grove biosecurity; and improving grove productivity and profitability.

“During this time there have also been many challenges for olive producers, including prolonged drought in many regions, followed by fire, flood and frost events, as well as outbreaks of pests and diseases, all with associated crop losses and financial stress. Fortunately, the 2021 season has proved to be a bumper harvest

Michael Southan - AOA CEO “Peter has been an absolute stalwart in all things quality-related and technical for the AOA, and particularly for getting me up to speed in the important areas of the OliveCare® Code of Practice, olive biosecurity and olive agrichemical permits. “Peter’s dedication to producing results and his comprehensive communication documents have placed the AOA in a very strong position to build on the productivity growth and quality focus that the industry has already achieved. “Peter, we wish you well in retirement and thank you for your service.” Paul Miller - AOA Director and International Advisor

The impressive Peter McFarlane

“It is a rare privilege to be able to describe someone as a genuine pillar of a community. Peter McFarlane has been this and more for the Australian olive industry for well over a decade. “There are too many highlights for me to recount here but some that come to mind are Peter’s work to achieve a state and then a national olive industry R&D levy (alongside Lisa Rowntree). Amazing persistent work. “In my time as President, I could always count on Peter’s advocacy for and support of the table olive producers in Australia, knowing that this critical part of the industry would be looked after by the AOA better than before he took it on. He has been a champion for Australian table olives. “The important and easily overlooked topic of biosecurity has also been a key focus for Peter and therefore the AOA Board. “His work on export and innovation has created knowledge and documentation which, along with all the documented aspects of the Code of Practice (now OliveCare®) and product quality, represent a foundation for best practice activities in both domestic and export markets. “Peter took over and built on the work of Mike Baker, keeping the industry up to date and well-resourced with chemical permits and registrations, always with an eye on integrated and responsible practices. “In recent years I have been super impressed with the extension efforts of the AOA spearheaded by Peter and others. I was thrilled to hear that this is being held up as an example to other industries, so there! “Peter is never backwards in coming forwards with constructive criticism, which has been of immense benefit to the AOA. He is both a deep thinker and a doer. I have really appreciated him always being there for us in good and difficult times, and for being such a valuable sounding board. “Above all, Peter has been a cheerful colleague and great company. “Warm and heartfelt thanks from me.”

for most producers, fostering a renewed optimism in the future of the industry.

“In my time working in the olive industry, I have been most impressed by the sense of community, enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge, the preparedness to adopt industry best practice, and the dedication to producing high quality olive products, as evidenced by broad participation and success in the AIOA and other olive competitions.

“In signing off, I would like to wish everyone good health and the very best of success with your olive enterprises.”

Peter McFarlane

McFarlane’s dedication to compliance earned him the industry nickname of The Sheriff, with Life Membership of the ‘International Olive Sheriffs’ Association’ presented by MC Kent Hallett at the 2019 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition.

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