Community pressing 101
2023 June
A-UKFTA New AIOA Head Judge Carbon, soil and drought IP protection AI marketing
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Contents
Incorporating Australian Olive Industry Journal Published by the Australian Olive Association Ltd Publisher Australian Olive Association Ltd Executive Editor Michael Southan ceo@australianolives.com.au Managing Editor Gerri Nelligan editor@olivegrower.com.au
Contents News ‘Agrumato’ trademark attempt continuing Australia-UK FTA enters into force, removing tariffs for olive exports Vale Michael Johnston Approval granted for Mudgee “silver” mine
Advertising Gerri Nelligan editor@olivegrower.com.au Production Sandra Noke production@olivegrower.com.au
Good fruit and innovation the key to Adina’s award-winning table olives
Circulation & Advertising Enquiries editor@olivegrower.com.au Contributions Articles and other contributions are welcome and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Photographs are best received as high resolution jpg files via email, and as separate attachments not embedded. Printing Lane Print & Post Adelaide Australian Olive Association ABN 57 072 977 489 PO Box 3012 Allambie Heights LPO Allambie Heights NSW 2100 Ph: (+61) 0478 606 145 E: secretariat@australianolives.com.au ISSN 1448-5486 Conditions The opinions expressed in Olivegrower & Processor are not necessarily the opinions of or endorsed by the editor or publisher unless otherwise stated. All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. All material in Olivegrower & Processor is copyright © Australian Olive Association Ltd. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic, or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the publisher will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.
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News - Awards Australian success continues at OLIVE JAPAN International recognition on offer for AIOA entrants 2023 Australian International Olive Awards welcomes new Head Judge 2023 olive competitions Aust/NZ - key dates and details
Subscriptions A one-year subscription (four issues) is: Aust $44 (AOA member discount rate $40), NZ $56 (ONZ member discount rate $52) and international $100. Visit www. olivebiz.com.au to subscribe. Additional copies $15 each (International + postage). Email editor@olivegrower.com.au to order.
June 2023 Issue 128
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Olivegrower Profile - AIOA Best of Show R&D Insights - Hort Innovation
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2023 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition 2023 National Industry Conference returns to Australia’s National Capital
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Grove management We need more carbon in our soil to help Australian farmers through the drought Here’s proof from space Biochar and soil improvement
34 35 36
New Zealand Reni returns to lead 2023 NZ EVOO Awards judging panel
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Olive business How to organise a community olive oil processing event The Robots are coming! Boost your marketing with AI Olives, the source of “liquid gold,” offer more riches to unlock Is my olive oil EVOO? And if not, why not?
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Products and services Harvesting digital success: the new website solution helping olive growers thrive online 49
What’s on/Advertiser index
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Cover: Community pressing events are a great way for our industry to support the food sustainability movement, and have spin-off benefits in terms of education around the quality and freshness of locally produced EVOO. In this edition, Apulia Grove Olives’ Ceilidh Meo shares her experience of how run a successful event. Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 3
News
‘Agrumato’ trademark attempt continuing An Italian company’s attempt to trademark the term ‘Agrumato’ in Australia is continuing, and it is now defending formal oppositions lodged by the Australian Olive Association and Olives New Zealand. In the March edition of Olivegrower we reported that in January 2022, IP Australia received an application from an Italian company seeking to register a trademark over the word ‘Agrumato’. The company claims to have created the process of co-processing citrus and olives to produce citrus flavoured oil, a product it calls ‘Agrumato’, despite it being recognised as an historical practice in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Importantly, the term has also been in common usage by olive oil producers across the globe for many years, including by other Italian producers. In mid-January the application was accepted by IP Australia, but with a dramatic change made to the listings of products to be covered by the trademark. Specifically, the items “edible oils and fats; extra virgin olive oil for food” had been removed from the Class 29 application category, with “olive pastes” now the only olive-related product listed.
Despite common usage over many years in Australia and New Zealand, an Italian company is pushing on with its attempt to trademark the term ‘Agrumato’.
Industry Oppositions filed
Representing members and the wider Australian industry, the AOA filed a formal Opposition to the trademark application on 10 March. Section 43 - trade mark is likely to deceive or cause confusion - was cited as the relevant section of the Australian Trade Marks Act 1995 supporting the opposition. IP Australia set 21 May as the due date for the trademark applicant to file any Notice of intention to defend. Olives New Zealand also submitted a formal Opposition to the IP Australia trademark application, supporting the actions of the AOA and Australian growers to protect continuing usage of the term. The national organisation’s opposition also pre-empted any possible subsequent attempt to trademark ‘Agrumato’ in New Zealand, where the term is also commonly used by the country’s olive oil producers. The Olives NZ formal Opposition was lodged on 16 March, citing Section 41 - trade mark not capable of distinguishing the applicant’s goods and/or services as the relevant section of the Australian Trade Marks Act 1995 supporting the opposition. The due date for any Notice of intention to defend the Olives NZ Opposition was also set as 21 May. On 22 May 2023 IP Australia received a Notice of intention to defend from the applicant’s solicitors.
Waiting for detail
AOA CEO Michael Southan said that to date they have not received details of the applicant’s response. ‘We’re waiting to see the grounds on which they intend to defend
classifieds
the opposition, and then we’ll work out where to go from there,” he said. “We’re surprised that they’re taking it further, though. We can’t see how they consider that the trademark in its current form is actually any use to them, given that it would only apply to ‘olive pastes’ and that is not what they produce. As Olives New Zealand pointed out there, the ‘trademark is not capable of distinguishing the applicant’s goods’, which is flavoured olive oil. “And if they think that owning a trademark applying to ‘olive pastes’ would allow them to apply pressure on Australian olive producers to stop using the term, it would definitely be a case of the trade mark being ‘likely to deceive or cause confusion’. “In any event, if the trademark application were to be approved we’d be making sure that producers - and if necessary consumers know that it does not apply to the Australian co-processed flavoured oils we have all known as ‘Agrumato’ for many years.”
More information
To view the full details of the application, go to www.search. ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks and search for ‘Agrumato’. We’ll also update on progress in the September edition of Olivegrower & Processor.
THE intra-industry way to sell, buy and source
www.olivebiz.com.au/classifieds
Contact Gerri to organise your listing. Email editor@olivegrower.com.au 4 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
News
ELECTRIC PRUNING AND HARVESTING TOOLS BY CAMPAGNOLA THE INNOVATIVE AND QUALITY RANGE FROM
Australia-UK FTA enters into force, removing tariffs for olive exports The long-awaited Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) entered into force on 31 May 2023, following the completion of UK domestic processes. The (A-UKFTA) was signed in December 2021 after more than 18 months of negotiations and removes tariffs on over 99% of Australian goods exported to the UK. This includes most olive products. The result is the elimination of the tariffs previously imposed on Australian olive products exported to the UK, set at a base rate of £104/100kg for olive oil and 12% of value for table olives, providing a promising business boost for our industry. AOA CEO Michael Southan said the removal of the tariffs for olive products will help even the playing field for Australian olive producers. “This is great news for the Australian industry and will help make our products
more competitive in the UK market due to the subsequent lower landed price,” he said. “And the timing is excellent, combining with both a low Australian dollar and large price increases for European olive oil due to low production over several drought seasons. “It provides an outstanding boost for existing exporters to the UK, and opens new opportunities for businesses where the previous tariffs and open EU trade into the UK market made their products costprohibitive. “We’re very pleased to see the FTA finally entering into force and look forward to the resulting growth in export opportunities for Australian olive producers.” More information: www.austrade.gov.au/ aukfta; www.dfat
Vale Michael Johnston The industry has been deeply saddened by the sudden passing of award-winning grower and EVOO producer Michael Johnston, on 30 May 2023. Johnston died peacefully of natural causes at his beloved Willunga Hill grove. Michael was a highly active and enthusiastic member of the olive industry, joining Olives SA soon after planting his grove and progressing through the role of Treasurer to President. He also served as the AOA Board’s South Australian Director, and as Chief Steward of the Royal Adelaide Olive Awards, convened community education and tasting events, and was integral - and hands-on - in the rejuvenation of the National Olive Variety Assessment (NOVA) grove at the Roseworthy Campus of Adelaide University. A kind, warm and generous man with a great sense of humour, Michael will be deeply missed by his industry friends and
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Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 5
News
Approval granted for Mudgee “silver” mine April brought distressing news for olive growers in the Mudgee region, with the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) approving the development of a toxic mine in the area. Bowdens Silver Pty Ltd is now able to proceed with its “open cut silver mine and associated infrastructure”, being constructed at Lue in the NSW Mid-Western Regional local government area (LGA).
Major opposition
The mine proposal had attracted substantial opposition during the public consultation period, led by local volunteer collective the Lue Action Group (LAG). Both the LAG and other opponents argued that the mine would have unacceptable impacts on the community, it’s people and the surrounding environment in the short, medium and long term. One of the most significant is the recognised health and developmental dangers posed by lead exposure, with close scrutiny revealing that the greatest quantities of mineral extracted from the proposed “silver” mine will in fact be zinc and lead. Bowdens' own projected ore volumes show that 50 times more lead than silver will be produced over the life of the mine.
High risk site
The site is very close to the popular Mudgee-Rylstone tourist trail and is surrounded by agriculture, including 44,400 olive trees planted over 336 hectares within the LGA. It is only two kilometres from the Lue primary school. In addition, the 112.5 hectare tailings dam lies across a fault line at the headwaters of the Lawson Creek, which flows into the Cudgegong River. Containing poisonous materials like cyanide, arsenic and lead particles, Bowdens predicts a best case scenario of 170,000L of leakage per day.
Threats to community, environment … and olive industry
Not surprisingly, therefore, the LAG describes the mine as a “potential environmental disaster”, threatening water security and quality, and exposing the community and environment to both the long-term effects of contamination from the tailings dam and dangerous lead exposure. The very likely impact of olive oil from the region being contaminated with lead, and the subsequent damage to the industry’s ‘clean and green’ reputation, prompted AOA CEO (and agricultural scientist) Michael Southan to conduct his own research into lead and plants. It differed widely from the NSW
Contamination from the mine would give a whole new meaning to the descriptor ‘lead water pipes’. Photo: the blowup on Unsplash
Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) report, so he booked a speaker’s spot during the community consultation processed and presented the NSW IPC with a more realistic set of facts - including proof that both plants and the water table will be contaminated by lead from the mine.
Disappointment and damage
Which is why the approval is such a failure of the democratic process, Southan said. “It’s incredibly disappointing that important facts around the impacts - which in the case of lead will be irreversible - have been ignored,” he said. “When you have the greater percentage of the submissions opposing the development versus those supporting it, and they still approve it, it makes you wonder how effective democracy is. “There are multiple expert reports that were prepared to give an independent opinion about all these aspects of the mine - human impacts, water contamination, supply etc - and it appears that all of these were ignored in the face of the potential economic gain for the government. Because apart from the mining company themselves, the state government will be the next biggest winner out of the project. “Some people in the area will have jobs there, yes, but it’s not going to be a massive
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employer of people in the Mudgee area maybe 100-200 people. A lot of those will be miners from other areas anyway - workers coming from the coal mines as they’re shutting down - so the sum total of new jobs will be pretty small. “And agriculture didn’t even rate a mention in the response to the public hearing, apart from saying it appears there will be no impact. Well we clearly showed that there will be impact, which is more proof that a lot of the information presented was ignored. “It makes you wonder what the real value is for that region, particularly when you contemplate the inevitable damage to the environment and the community. “So it’s a very disappointing outcome. The Lue Action Group is still fighting it, however the official approval process is now over, so the AOA will keep in contact with the growers in the area, keep up with what’s happening, and we’ll provide whatever support we can as things unfold.” You can still find detail on the mine and opposition on the Lue Action Group website, www.lueactiongroup.org, along with a link to all proposal and approval documentation on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment website.
News - Awards
Australian success continues at OLIVE JAPAN Australian producers have had a great start to the 2023 awards season, earning an impressive stash of medals at the annual OLIVE JAPAN International Olive Oil Competition. Winners were spread right across the country’s production regions, with Western Australian and Victorian producers particularly prominent on the list. Cobram Estate Olives (VIC) led the field with two Gold and three Silver medals, followed by Chapman River Olives (WA) with two
Cobram makes New York Times’ top five The accolades have since continued for Cobram Estate’s US production arm, with the Cobram Estate California Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil rated among the top five in a product comparison by the New York Times (NYT). The Best Olive Oil You Can Buy at the Store was published on 26 May in the NYT’s product recommendation service, Wirecutter. The service’s journalists “test and review thousands of products each year with total editorial independence” to assist readers in making “quick and confident buying decisions”. Wanting to find the supermarket olive oils “that are actually worth buying”, the team worked with a trained olive oil taster to define criteria, then researched over 40 olive oil products and tested 15. All were available at national grocery store chains across the country and had
printed harvest dates to ensure freshness. Their stated goal was “to find good allpurpose extra-virgin olive oils that could be used for cooking but also for salad dressings and bread dipping”. The Cobram Estate California Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil was among five that stood out in the testing, topping the category of Herbaceous and peppery and described as “mild, fresh and silky” and overall “a subtle, well-balanced oil, bordering on elegant.” Cobram’s trademark pop-up pourer also got a shout-out for its convenience. High praise indeed in the crowded US market and well-deserved recognition of Cobram’s commitment to best-practice production and quality across its nowglobal operations. Source: www.nytimes.com/wirecutter
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Gold and one Silver, while boutique producer Lentara Grove (TAS) added another to the Gold medal count. Hunter’s Dream Estate (NSW) and PREMA BROS. (SA) were awarded two Silver medals each, while the Frankland River Olive Company (WA), Grampians Olive Co. (VIC) and Green Gold Farm (WA) each received a Silver medal. Cobram Estate added an additional four Silver medals to its haul for the company’s US-produced EVOOs. Cont. p10
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News - Awards
Statistics
2023 Medals - Australian producers Gold
Chapman River Olives: Chapman River Coratina Chapman River Olives: Chapman River Frantoio Cobram Estate Olives: Cobram Estate Ultra Premium Picual Cobram Estate Olives: Cobram Estate Ultra Premium Coratina Lentara Grove: Lentara Grove Premium Tasmanian Lemon Myrtle Infused Silver Chapman River Olives: Chapman River Queen of Spain/Coratina Cobram Estate Olives: Cobram Estate Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cobram Estate Olives: Cobram Estate Ultra Premium Hojiblanca Cobram Estate Olives: Cobram Estate Classic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Frankland River Olive Company: Jingilli Extra Virgin Olive Oil Grampians Olive Co: Grampians Olive Green Gold Farm: Perth Olive Oil Hunter's Dream Estate: Hunter's Dream Extra Virgin Olive Oil Hunter's Dream Estate: Hunter's Dream Truffle Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil PREMA BROS: Francesco #2 Blend PREMA BROS: Francesco #1 FS-17
Cobram Estate United States Silver
Cobram Estate Robust 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cobram Estate Classic 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cobram Estate California Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cobram Estate Mild 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Australian producers were awarded a total of five Gold and 11 Silver medals at this year’s competition. A total of 710 entries were judged, both extra virgin olive oils and infused olive oils, submitted by producers from 24 countries. This was significantly down from the 816 entries for the 2022 competition, no doubt due to the extremely low 2022 harvest yields in many European countries. A total of 567 medals were awarded 333 Gold and 234 Silver - a positive result compared with the 580 medals - 299 Gold and 271 Silver - awarded in 2022. Note: no Bronze medals are awarded. There were also eight Premier (Best of Show) Awards: four to Italy, two to Spain and one each to Argentina and Slovenia; and 10 Gold Toshiya Tada Special Sommelier Awards: five to Spain, three to Italy, and one each to Morocco and Portugal. Spanish producers received the highest number of awards with 106, followed by Italian producers with 70 and Greek producers with 21. More information: www.olivejapan.com/en.
®
AOA membership: stay financial for discount eligibility We’re nearly into a new financial year, which means AOA membership renewals for 2023-2024 will be issued in the next few weeks. Membership of the national industry body, the Australian Olive Association (AOA) provides a wealth of direct benefits, including: • heavily discounted rates on AOA event registrations and Australian International Olive Awards entries; • the opportunity to participate in the OliveCare® Code of Best Practice program, which provides assistance with queries on grove management, production, storage and other quality parameters; also access to the OliveCare® certification program;
• access to the AOA website’s Members Lounge and information on a broad range of industry-relevant topics, including stepby-step labelling guides and a readable version of the Australian Standard 52642011. Renewal notices will be emailed in early July. If you don’t receive yours by midmonth, please contact Liz at secretariat@ australianolives.com.au for a replacement copy. Please keep your eye on your Inbox and pay yours promptly to ensure your continued eligibility for these and many more significant member discounts.
10 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
Reminder
Member discounts for Australian International Olive Awards entries and National Olive Conference registrations can only be applied for current financial members, so make sure you’ve renewed before you sign on!
Not an AOA member?
Find out more and apply to join at the AOA website - www.australianolives.com.au – or contact Administration Manager Elizabeth Bouzoudis at secretariat@australianolives.com. au.
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News - Awards
®
2023
2023
2023
International recognition on offer for AIOA entrants With harvest over or ending for most producers, it’s time to start thinking about oil assessment and marketing - showing the world how good your olive products are, and consumers why they should buy them. One of the best ways of ticking all those boxes is the annual Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), Australia’s premier olive awards and an increasingly important event on the global olive competition calendar. Entry for the 2023 AIOA is now open, and Competition Convenor and Chief Steward Trudie Michels said the stewarding and judging teams are gearing up for another great array of high-quality EVOOs, flavoured oils and table olives to assess and reward.
Great crops, great quality
“For most Australian producers, the 2023 harvest has seen a very positive turnaround from last year’s challenging one, where many had little or no fruit. This year they’re reporting both great crops and great quality, so we’re very excited about what the extra virgin olive oil entries will present us with. “And table olive producers are really hitting their quality straps now, with recent competitions showing that it’s definitely a
2023 Australian International Olive Awards key dates Entries open - 1 June, so OPEN NOW! Entries close – 1 September Post deadline (Australian entries) - 11 August, to ensure they arrive on time Medal winners announced - 9 October, by email Major awards announced - 27 October, at the Awards Gala Presentation Dinner in Canberra, ACT (in conjunction with the 2023 AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition) product we can do really well. We know that a lot more producers are adding table olives to their business package, and we’re hoping we’ll get the chance to recognise their new skills with AIOA awards.”
Global judging
Judging of 2023 AIOA entries will once again involve a global judging team, with panels in six countries across Europe, Asia and Australia. Panel leaders work directly with Michels around the competition’s set protocols and guidelines for judging, and ensure that judging of all entries is conducted
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under the same criteria. “One of the only upsides of COVID was the need to put the global judging regime in place and we spent a huge amount of time and effort in making sure we did it well, and got the detail right,” Michels said. “All of our judges, both international and Australian, appreciate and respect the importance of following the competition’s protocols, which ensure it is consistently run to the highest standards and with total credibility. “Combined with the tasting skills of our incredible judges, we’re confident that
News - Awards
“A competition win is a reward after all the pruning, mowing, harvesting and processing. And from a business perspective, a medal certainly makes a difference to the bottle.” the end result is a truly unbiased, expert appraisal of each and every oil and table olive entry.”
2023 AIOA Awards Presentation: be there to accept yours! Medal results will once again be emailed to entrants in early October, with all Gold medal winners in the running for one of the major awards – maybe several, and maybe even one of the coveted AIOA Best of Show titles. All will be revealed at the 2023 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation Dinner, being held in conjunction with the National Industry Conference & Exhibition in Canberra, ACT. The event is always a great night, enjoying good food and wine while catching up with old friends, making new ones, and celebrating the achievements of this year’s most successful producers. And as in the past few years, the event will start with a tasting array of awardwinning EVOOs, flavoured oils and table olives - all ‘incognito’ to prolong the suspense, of course! Don’t miss your chance to be part of the fun and celebrations, and hopefully to collect your winner’s trophy. Book your tickets on the Conference website -www. nationaloliveconference.com.au.
Boutique and Commercial ‘Best’ awards
Michels said this year’s event continues the new element introduced in 2022, with all three major awards - Best EVOO of Show, Best Flavoured Olive Oil Of Show and Best Table Olive Of Show - now presented separately for Boutique Volume and Commercial Volume categories. Category status is calculated on the producer’s total grove production, rather than the volume of the oil or olives that was entered. “These additional major awards recognise the very different methodologies and challenges of small and large scale producers, and provides the opportunity to award the successes of both,” she said. “Feedback from last year’s event showed us that recognition is important and producers were very positive about the move - as they were about having an even greater chance of winning one of the ‘business-changing’ major AIOA awards!”
More than just medals
While medals - and for some, trophies are a desired outcome of the competition, Michels said the AIOA offers much more for entrants. “The AIOA judging process is based on a multi-element assessment of each entry, and that information is passed on to the producer in the judges’ comprehensive feedback,” she said.
“In consumers’ minds, if your peers think it’s really good, then it must be.” “Producers are learning more about the nuances of their oils, about their blending techniques, even how their grove practices are affecting their end products. It’s invaluable information, which many are using to refine their practices or influence their production decisions. “The Results Book is another great benefit, providing statistical information around the year’s entries, production and quality. It also serves as a marketing tool for every medal and trophy-winning product in the competition, with each featured individually alongside its judging description.
“We also make the professional product shots in the Results Book available to producers at a nominal cost, for use in their own marketing and promotions. “And of course there are the direct marketing benefits of an AIOA medal and/ or trophy. We all know that customers are drawn to bottles with medals but past AIOA winners have found that an accolade for your product from the Australian International Olive Awards brings not only consumer interest but increased opportunities for retail, food service and even export sales.”
How to enter
Full competition details and entry forms are available on the AIOA website: www. internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au. Enter your products now and put the postal date for samples - 11 August - in your diary, so you don’t miss out.
Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 13
News - Awards
2023 Australian International Olive Awards welcomes new Head Judge There’s a changing of the guard for the 2023 edition of the Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), with Helen Taylor taking over as Head Judge from six-year incumbent Shane Cummins. The two experts come from different knowledge bases - Shane an EVOO producer and Helen a food technologist - but share a common training background in the Australian Olive Oil Sensory Panel, which will no doubt help make the baton-change a smooth one.
Building on positive reputation
AOA CEO Michael Southan said Shane stamped his time as Head Judge with positivity for both the role and the Australian olive industry. “He’s a very enthusiastic and optimistic person,” Southan said. “He was very supportive of me when I was starting out in the industry and from the time I met him, always offered encouragement, both for me and for producers. “That generosity of spirit has been much appreciated by all associated with the AIOA and industry sensory training in recent years. “We’re also really excited to have Helen on board from this year. Her judging abilities are legendary and we’re looking forward to building the competition’s reputation even further under her expert guidance.”
Helen Taylor Well-known to many in the industry and on the national judging circuit, Helen has been judging olive oil for the past 20 years. Trained as a founding member of the Australian Sensory Panel at Wagga, she has judged at regional, state and national olive oil competitions, including in the capacity of
® head judge, and internationally in Spain and New Zealand.
Science background
Helen has been into the nuances of food and flavours since her university days, graduating with a Master of Science in Food Technology. She initially worked with meat, then as a Cereal Chemist at the Wagga Agricultural Research Institute, which is where olive oil entered her life. “The oil chemistry section at the Institute decided they wanted to start testing olive oil, so they set up the chemistry testing first and then moved on to a sensory panel,” Helen said. “My husband was a dairy technologist, and he and I both put our hands up for selection. We were lucky enough to be chosen for the panel and then the Department sourced an Italian specialist to come and train us for two years. “I was a working member of Australian Sensory Panel from 2003 under Peter Olsson as the panel leader, then trained in Italy and took over the panel leader’s job for seven years until I retired from the Department. I’ve been on the panel for 20 years now and have trained a few new panel leaders and many panel members along the way.” Which is why Helen was such an ideal candidate to take over the role, despite some initial nervousness. “I didn’t put my hand up for the job. It came completely out of the blue when I was asked would I like to take on the role,” she said. “It was a bit scary - ‘am I up to the job?’. But I think I have enough training behind me, and now I’m really looking forward to working with all the other judges.”
Judging joy
That includes ensuring they enjoy the process. “I’m very interested in giving people the joy of judging,” Helen said. “Most of the work I do is training people for the sensory panel, which is oil classification rather than judging. Show judging is the fun part of oil tasting, while sensory panel work is
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formal: as we are NATA accredited, we must do everything by the book. “In competitions we’re usually judging new season amazing oils, and as everyone is there as a volunteer, I hope people can also have fun while they’re doing it. “It’s going to be fantastic to judge all together again in Adelaide this year, after three years of restricted access to each other due to COVID. It’s a great way to learn, especially for associates, as you get other people’s perspectives on the oils while you’re tasting them. “We like to make sure our judges are well trained, and (Competition Organiser/ Chief Steward) Trudie is doing an amazing job with that. An important part of that training is making sure they can write a good description for each oil and that producers get a lot of useful feedback for the oils they’re entering.”
Competition status quo
Other than working fun into the process, Helen said that at this stage, she’s not planning to change anything about the competition. “I’ve only just got the role, so this year will be a bit of a learning curve of how the AIOA show works,” she said. “We’ll also have to get used to being back judging all together, which will be interesting for some people as they haven’t done that for a while. And there are some new people in the judging team who’ll need to learn the system and how it works. “So we’ll see how this year goes and take it from there.”
Continuing industry improvement
One thing she is happy to progress with, however, is the continual improvement in production quality. “We want the quality of Australian oils to always keep improving. It has greatly since I started in the industry 20 years ago, but there’s always a bit further we can go,” Helen said. “At the moment there are also a lot of groves changing hands as the first flush of growers is aging and selling. We must make sure the new ones coming through are up with their quality requirements and by putting oils in the show, they can get that feedback and learn what they can do better in the future. “This is particularly important in regard to defects. Obviously all oils go through the chemistry process before judging but some
News - Awards
and has judged every year since, taking part in competitions in every state and the ACT, the AOA’s national and international shows, and at the NZ EVOO Awards.
defects cannot be found until the oil is tasted. It’s not too much of an issue these days but we still do get some bad oils being entered. “There are a lot of people well trained enough to taste an oil and know if it’s defective, but we should be training our growers and processors to know those defects - or at least to taste an oil and know something isn’t right. So that’s something I’m keen to keep working on into the future.”
Producer background
A landscaper and paver by trade, Shane picked his first olives in 2000 as part of the Long Paddock Olive Rustlers. They got straight into oil production and in 2005 entered the AOA’s national competition, taking Gold, Silver and Bronze for their three entries. If he hadn’t already been passionate about olives, Shane says, he certainly was then. “I’ve never seen people so ecstatic,” he said. “We thought we were doing a good job and all of a sudden we realized we were doing a very good job. “We followed that up at the Canberra show in 2006, taking three of the five Gold medals awarded. That was the year that Boundary Bend won their first Gold medal and showed the increase in quality across the whole industry, so for me it was just all about olives and oil from there.”
Advocate and facilitator
Shane Cummins
Cummins said he sees his main role as AIOA Head Judge as having been “an advocate for olive oils and olives, and facilitator for judges and the event team”. “I haven’t been an educator, I think at best I would be a facilitator. I’ve been fortunate to talk to a lot of people and enable conversations to flow,” he said. “When I took the job on I asked the board if I could take a proactive role, rather than reactive or judicial. It was a lot of work: we had to create the substantiation, the guidelines, the protocols for judging. We had
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The Tastebook conversation
Another part of that conversation was the Tastebook program, a sensory professional development and training initiative in appreciating, describing and understanding how to improve the quality of extra virgin olive oil and table olives. Cummins was the initial convenor and assisted with the workshops held subsequently as part of an olive levy R&D project. “TasteBook was a great way to put all the information down on paper and make it available to everyone,” he said. “It also made it possible to put the same oils and table olives down in front of everyone at the same time and discuss. As an industry, we learned so much from that opportunity.”
Positive change
As a result, Cummins said, he’s seen a lot of change during his time as Head Judge. “Flavoured oils are a really interesting one,” he said. “There was a time when people thought you’d dodge up crook oils by adding a flavour, and judging them wasn’t a positive experience. Now people put a lot of thought into flavoured oils; they’ve realised it’s a very good commercial product and it needs to be the best product they can produce. They’re a joy to judge now. “With table olives too, the work with TasteBook turned into the Linda Costa tours,
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Shane Cummins stepped into the Head Judge role at the AOA National competition in 2016 and led the judging process as it moved to international status the following year. He continued as Head Judge of the AIOA for the following five years. His assessment career started with training for the Australian Sensory Panel at Wagga in 2007, and in 2010 he had the opportunity to judge at the Australian Golden Olives Awards. He loved the process
to formalize and document all of those. “The proactive role has also allowed me to chase answers to questions and feed them back to the industry, through things like Claudia Guillaume’s faults session. We turned the industry into a conversation about olive product quality: what you need to do and how you need to go about it.”
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Mobile: Kent 0428 829 024 Mobile: Michelle 0448 965 349 PO Box 114 Riverton SA 5412 Email: oops@aussiebroadband.com.au Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 15
News - Awards
Head judges on the AIOA Helen Taylor, 2023 AIOA Head Judge “The reputation of the AIOA is going ahead in leaps and bounds, and that’s a great thing. “It’s also very important for the Australian industry that people know how their oils compare with others and now that our major competition is international, the opportunity to do that will only keep getting better. We can see how our oils measure up against others from around the world, and it also showcases the quality of our oils to the rest of the world.” Shane Cummins, 2022 AIOA Head Judge “The AIOA is one of the few shows in the world that deals with table olives and flavoured oils, and what I’m seeing is that the products are just improving out of sight. There are olives emerging that have the same descriptors as gold medal oil and that’s not been the case in the past. “To me the future is in aromas, tastes and flavours, and that’s across all three products - fresh, seasonal and award-winning is what the shows are showing us. “And the AIOA Results Book is world’s best practice - a learning aid, brag book and marketing tool all rolled into one.”
which has turned into some fabulous tastes and results. “And with EVOO, where we’re seeing poor quality oils, people have made a mistake and they’re happy to sort it out and rectify it. “To make an absolutely superb oil and a faulted oil is the same amount of work, the difference is the thought that goes into it. The thinking process has changed now, and that’s based on a lot of information that’s been made widely available. “Hopefully I’ve assisted with the groundwork for that, and that the tasting notes coming out of the international show are the basis that people can use to sell those superb oils at a premium price.”
“Fabulous job”
The role has also presented opportunities for Cummins himself, he said. “I wanted to give the industry an idea of what the potential taste and flavour and aroma was, and being head judge gave me that opportunity. I’ve done presentations, I’ve met a lot of people, and I’ve been able to support the individual development of judges,” he said. “I got to work with Trudie Michels, and that’s been a significant thing in itself. I reckon I only need to mention her 77 times, along with Kent Hallett and Michelle Freeman. I have the deepest gratitude to them for their stewarding. “And then there are the oils … just to see the flavour profiles and the clarity that
people are putting into it makes it a fabulous job. There’s some beautiful work being done - I’d say ‘measuring the magic’ is a great way to describe the judging process for Australian EVOO.”
Where to from here?
While he’s stepping down as Head Judge, Cummins’ life will still be all about olive oil. “I’m still making oil with the Long Paddock Olive Rustlers and hopefully I’ll continue judging - but that’s by invitation, so I sit back and wait to be invited,” he said. “And there are incredible voices in the Australian industry I want to hear from, including Helen’s. Her skills, knowledge and tasting ability are right up there, especially in her ability to identify and describe flavours and aromas. “I’ve been a groupie for the last 15 years and I stand in awe. I know she’ll be good.”
Save the26-27dates October Canberra, ACT
www.nationaloliveconference.com.au 16 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
News - Awards
2023 olive competitions Aust/NZ - key dates and details expert panels across the globe. Medals are announced immediately after judging to provide early promotion and marketing benefits, with major trophy winners announced at the awards event held as part of the AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition in October.
2023 Australian Golden Olive Awards
More information and enter: www. internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au.
Return of Invitation to Participate: 16 June Submission of product: 8 July Awards announced: 1 September
Details Presented by regional association Olive Producers NE Victoria (OPNEV) and instigated in 1999, the Australian Golden Olive Awards (AGOA) is now in its 24th year. The awards “celebrate the diversity and delight of Australian olives” and provide OPNEV members and growers from all over Australia the opportunity to benchmark their products. Entry also includes FFA and peroxide testing results, which can be used for entry into other competitions and for AOA Code of Practice requirements. Classes cover EVOO (including Micro Volume Class), Agrumato Olive Oils and Flavoured Olive Oils. More information and forms: www. australianoliveawards.com.au.
2023 Australian International Olive Awards
2023 Hunter Olive Show
Entries open: 17 July Entries close: 1 September Results announced: 12 October
Details Run by the Hunter Olive Association, the Hunter Olive Show is always a little later in the year. This allows more time for table olive producers who wish to enter their 2023 harvest olives. It is also among the most affordable of competitions, thanks to sponsorship from Olives NSW and others, and the show’s dedicated team of volunteers. Entries fees remain the same this year, at $39 for oil entries and $29 for table olives and tapenades. If testing of table olives is necessary, the charge is $20. All entries must be produced in Australia. Full details and entry forms: www.hunterolives.asn.au.
Entries open: 1 June Entries close: 1 September Awards announced: 27 October
Details Australia’s premier olive competition, the Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) is run by the Australian Olive Association. In 2017 the previously national competition was also opened to international entries, increasing the opportunity for global peer review and recognition. Judging panels have consistently included highly-respected international judges and since 2020 AIOA judging has been truly international, with judging undertaken by
2023 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards Entries open: 1 July Entries close: 26 July Results announced: 30 August
Details Run by Olives South Australia (Olives SA) in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural Society of South Australia, the Royal Adelaide Olive Awards is one of the earliest
on the Australian calendar. It is also one of the most competitive, with entries coming from producers across the country. This year sees the introduction of a new award, the inaugural Michael Johnston Memorial Prize for the Best Small Producer. The results announcement coincides with the start of the annual Royal Adelaide Show, where the Olives SA stand in the food pavilion provides the ideal opportunity to showcase the competition winners. All entries must be produced in Australia. More information and links to RAS entry: www.olivessouthaustralia.org.au.
2023 Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards Entries now open Entries close: 6 August Results announced: 10 November
Details Hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania (RAST) the annual Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards was established in 1995, making it one of the longest running food awards in Australia. The competition aims to promote and encourage excellence in the Australian food industry by providing a quality benchmarking system for fine food producers. Awards are held in sections across five months of the year to allow for seasonality of entries, with olive products judged in early September. Categories include EVOO, flavoured olive oils and table olives. Entry is open to producers across Australia, including those using imported base product. More information: www.hobartshowground.com.au.
Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 17
News - Awards
2023 New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards Entries open: 1 August Entries close: 31 August Results announced: 30 September
2023 Sydney Royal Olive Oil Competition Entries now open Entries close: 5 July Results announced: 30 Champions: 19 September.
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Details: Established in 1998 and run by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, the Sydney Royal Competitions “showcase the products, talents, energy and passions of rural NSW” but welcomes entries from producers across Australia. Award categories include multiple EVOO classes, Table Olives, Olive Products and Flavour Infused Olive Oils, with results announced as part of the annual Spring Fine Food Show. All entries must be produced in Australia. More information: www.rasnsw.com.au.
Details Organised and run by the West Australian Olive Council, the WA Olive Awards judge extra virgin olive oils and flavoured oils across five classes. The competition has a strong emphasis on ongoing judges’ training and producer feedback. Entries are open to eligible producers from across Australia. Premium Gold (90+ points), Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded, along with Major Trophies. All entries must be produced in Australia.
Details Run by Olives New Zealand (Olives NZ), the NZ EVOO Awards are the premium olive oil competition in New Zealand. Open to oils produced solely in New Zealand, and certified as extra virgin olive oil (via the Olives NZ Certification Program), the Awards recognise excellence in New Zealand extra virgin olive oils. Flavoured olive oils are now also included. Medals and trophies are awarded across a range of classes, along with overall category winners. Entries are judged by a fully trained panel of judges with international judging experience, led each year by a renowned EVOO specialist. Along with international promotion of the results and winners, the awards providing an outstanding opportunity for both peer review and brand recognition.
More information and enter: www.oliveswa.com.au.
More information and enter: www.olivesnz. org.nz.
2023 WA Olive Awards
Entries open: 14 August Entries close: 4 September Awards announced: 21 October
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Showcase your EVOO, Flavoured Oils and Table Olives to the world!
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2023 Entries open
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Global EVOO appraisal by expert judges: » International judging panels in 5 countries » Australian judging collaboratively in Adelaide All EVOO, Flavoured Oils and Table Olive entries compete for Best of Show Awards Every entry assessed and awarded on merit Comprehensive judging feedback for all entries Successful judging provides eligibility for OliveCare® certification
Unprecedented opportunity for international recognition of winning products and producers
2023 Australian International Olive Awards Schedule
The
Entries open: 1 June
AU STRAL IAN I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Entries close: 1 September at 5pm CST Post deadline (Australian entries): 11 August Medals announced (by email): 9 October Awards Dinner/Trophy presentation: 27 October Full details & entry forms:
www.internationaloliveawards.com.au Olive Awards
www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia .com .au
Olivegrower Profile - AIOA Best of Show
Adina’s Scott Clifford was a repeat visitor to stage during the 2022 AIOA Presentation Dinner, accepting multiple trophies for the Hunter Valley producer’s award-winning entries.
Good fruit and innovation the key to Adina’s award-winning table olives A timely job advertisement and an appetite for change was a fortuitous combination for Adina Vineyard and Olive Grove’s Scott Clifford, opening the door to a new career as an award-winning table olive producer. Scott was one of the most in-demand attendees at the 2022 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation Dinner, heading on stage repeatedly to accept awards for the Hunter Valley producer’s winning entries. Adina was the star performer of the 2022 AIOA Table Olive Competition, taking the coveted Best Table Olive of Show (Boutique Volume) trophy for its Hunter Providore Chilli & Garlic Olives. Awarded the judges’ top table olive score of 92, the Chilli & Garlic combination also took home Gold and the trophies for Best Table Olive Southern Hemisphere, Best Australian Table Olive and Champion Specialty Olive. An additional two Bronze medals, for the Hunter Providore Salad Blend and Hunter Providore Kalamata, added to Adina’s 2022 AIOA cache. The results cemented Adina’s success at the 2022 Hunter Olive Show, where it was awarded Best Flavoured Table Olive of Show for its Rosemary Kalamata, along with a swag of medals.
Background
Ensuring the quality of their fruit is the key to Adina’s success.
Scott joined the Adina team in December 2020, working under the guiding hand of then mill manager Sue Turner. He’d not been involved in the industry previously and said Sue’s incredible knowledge of fruit and
20 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
processes soon helped him get up to speed. “I was looking for a new job and there was an ad on Seek. I went in and had my interview, and the rest is history,” he said. “Nothing really attracted to me to olives per se, it was more just a job that was different to where I’d been working before, which was bottling wine. “Sue had started in the same way - applied not knowing anything about olives but willing to learn - and had worked her way up to manager of the olive mill. She was a great teacher, and really helped me learn what I needed to know, and I’ve now taken over from Sue.”
“It’s soil, climate, variety and good fruit that make good products.” Multi-tasking
Adina produces their own table olives, EVOO and flavoured oils, and also processes both olives and oil for other growers in the Hunter region. Which means there was a lot to take over, and Scott’s role has a wide scope. “I keep the day-to-day stock of the cellar door up to date, keep the stock inventory and handle harvest time when it comes around,” he said.
Olivegrower Profile - AIOA Best of Show
“Handling phone calls, providing general information which our customers might need, that would come from me most of the time. And I’m also hands-on with the harvest: growers bring the fruit to me and I’ll weigh it, sort it, pull out any bad olives, oversee the processing and leave them with the finished product. Some take it back to their own properties straight away, others leave it with us until it’s ready to be jarred and we bottle it for them, so it’s making sure the right process happens for each customer. “I’m in charge of table fruit and the miller is in charge of oil fruit, but I help out with customers and moving the oil when that side of things is really busy too. “And like Sue did with me, I’m also currently training another person who has come underneath my wing.”
“We have our own methods which we think make a difference - but of course they’re secret.” Grove background
The Adina grove is one of the Hunter region’s oldest and has changed hands several times since it was established. The first planting of olive trees was in 1990, followed by a second in 2000. A third planting in 2005 took the total to approximately 1800 trees. Varieties include Manzanillo, Kalamata, Frantoio, Corregiola and Paragon, providing both oil and table fruit. There were two previous owners before JDC Prime purchased the 49 hectare
Adding to the cache of 2022 AIOA awards for Adina’s Chilli & Garlic olives were medals for its Salad Blend and Kalamata olives.
property, which encompasses vineyard, olive grove, cellar door, tourist accommodation and olive processing facility, in 2017.
Range and quality
Adina produces a wide range of products, its olive oil and table olive offerings extended by a selection of condiments and bodycare items. They sell to chefs, restaurants and in their own cellar door, where the most popular products are Truffle Infused Olive Oil and the AIOA award-winning Chilli & Garlic Olives. Scott said it’s a combination of elements which make their products so good. “It’s soil, climate, variety and good fruit,” he said.
Great working environment As with all our Olivegrower profile interviews, we finished by asking Scott what he loves best about being an olive grower and table olive producer and also what he really doesn’t enjoy. For him, it’s pretty much about the location. “The best thing is the environment. The land where we are is gorgeous. “And the staff are wonderful, management is wonderful. It’s just a nice place to work. “There isn’t much I don’t like, to be honest. And the environment, that view, makes up for it.”
Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 21
Olivegrower Profile - AIOA Best of Show
“Knowledge also helps, and I was lucky to have learned everything hands-on from Sue. She learned a lot from others in the industry and had also done Certificate 3-4 in Food Processing, so had both experiential and technical knowledge. “She was very passionate and meticulous when processing the fruit, and taught me to put in the extra mile to make sure the product is great at the end. We also have our own
methods which we think make a difference but of course they’re secret.”
Top gong for first international entry
While they’ve had previous wins at state and regional shows, the 2022 AIOA was Adina’s first foray into an international competition. Scott says entering was a great decision. “Winning trophies at the AIOA really
means a lot,” he said. “We’ve worked hard to achieve this result and this rewards the effort that we put in, and all the time it takes for everything that needs to be done to earn these accolades. It just feels really good to have the recognition. “It’s also good for the business, as now the customers can also see how our hard work is paying off with industry accolades for our products. “Competitions like the AIOA are extremely important for both growers and the industry. The feedback you get from judging is paramount to us as producers and the recognition gets your name out there, increasing the reach of your business to others who aren’t in our region. “They see your name, see how well you did and want to try your products, which
“The recognition gets your name out there, increasing the reach of your business to others who aren’t in our region.” can really increase your business scope. For us that means both product sales and our processing customer base. “And products wearing the medals let consumers know that we are the best in the industry. There’s definitely been an increase in sales since we won, and the medals help out a lot.” Scott credits his knowledge of fruit and table olive processes to his teacher, former Adina mill manager Sue Turner.
More information: www.adinavineyard. com.au.
Ask questions, try new things
De-suckering is just one element of the ongoing grove maintenance Scott and his team-mate Dirk Ashburner undertake throughout the year to ensure the health and vigour of the trees. 22 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
Having ‘lucked in’ to the industry and learned everything he knows on the job, we’re pretty sure Scott has some valuable tips for other producers. We asked him what advice he’d like to share from his experiences, especially for growers starting out in the industry. “If you use good fruit, you will get good oil and olives. “Ask lots of questions, do research and join the Australian Olive Association for help and resources. “Try new things and try to be unique. There’s a lot of people using the same ingredients so when you try something new and get recognised for being innovative, it’s a great jump for you and your business.”
THE LATEST UPDATES ON R&D WITHIN THE OLIVE INDUSTRY | JUNE 2023
R&D Insights contains the latest levy-funded R&D project updates, research findings and related industry resources, which all happen under the Hort Innovation Olive Fund. Hort Innovation partners with leading service providers to complete a range of R&D projects to ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of the olive industry.
OWI launches go-to resource on EVOO and health Understanding the myriad health benefits of extra virgin olive oil has been made much easier, thanks to a new resource produced by the Olive Wellness Institute (OWI). The OWI’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil Health and Nutrition Report 2023 was launched on 30 March at a lunch event for a group of 30 engaged and influential Australian health care professionals, who were introduced to the resource by the OWI’s education team. Held at Gilson Restaurant in South Yarra, Melbourne, the event featured a menu of dishes featuring Australian EVOO, and guests left with their own sample bottle of OWI-labelled EVOO to use and share.
Accessible information OWI Healthcare Professional Education Manager Sian Armstrong said the report aims to increase the accessibility of information around the health benefits of EVOO. “We now have a wealth of peerreviewed research and other information about EVOO and health, and we thought it would be a really good idea to have all of it in one spot, so easily accessible,” she said. “It was produced predominantly with health professionals in mind, as the go-to resource for all things EVOO and health, but we made sure that it’s beautifully designed and easy to read, so suits a much wider audience.
OWI Healthcare Professional Education Manager Sian Armstrong launched the report to a gathering of influential Australian health care professionals.
“We can take it with us to conferences or other events and give it to anyone interested in extra virgin olive oil. After reading it they should have a pretty good understanding of what EVOO is, how it’s made and, most importantly, the health benefits of EVOO.”
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Health and Nutrition Report
Sustainability to safety Armstrong said the report focuses on both the recognition of EVOO as one of the world’s healthiest oils and its versatility in the kitchen. “The report contains a user-friendly “summary” of the health benefits of EVOO, which range from heart health to mental health and general wellbeing. There’s also information on the sustainability of EVOO - an increasingly important factor in
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consumer’s consumption and purchase choices - and an explanation of why it is the safest and most versatile oil for cooking,” she said. “It even covers “the big myth” around smoke point, and why the design of
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The report was introduced by author and accredited practicing dietitian Teri Lichtenstein over a lunch menu featuring Australian EVOO.
Australia’s front of pack labelling system, the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, doesn’t work for foods like EVOO. “And while the information is summarized for accessibility, it takes up 35 jam-packed pages (plus a few more of references!), so there’s really wide coverage of all aspects of EVOO production, health benefits and superiority in cooking.” Here are just some of the topics covered:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Nature‘s Liquid Gold
What is unique about Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Types and grades of olive oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil compared to other edible oils
Global production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Nutrient Composition of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dietary Guidelines Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil How to store Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sustainability
Presenters and professionals Armstrong said the launch audience packed a punch in terms of health industry reach, as did the guest presenters. “The guests were all health care professionals and came from across a wide range of practice areas - public health nutritionists and dietitians
Dr Flavia Fayet-Moore presented recent research on evaluating the health benefits of edible oils.
from organisations like the Heart Foundation and Nutrition Australia; academics; and also private health care professionals,” she said. “The author of the report, Teri Lichtenstein, is an accredited practicing dietitian and director of nutrition marketing consultancy FoodBytes. She presented a taste of what’s in the report and the science behind it. “And Dr Flavia Fayet-Moore talked about recent research on how we should judge edible oils, evaluating and rating them in terms of health benefits rather than just looking at the fatty acids. “She’s a scientist, nutritionist and researcher, CEO of Nutrition Research Australia and a member of the OWI Scientific Advisory panel, so is highly respected internationally in the health and nutrition field.”
Enthusiastic feedback The launch had immediate impact, Armstrong said, with word getting around and strong demand for the report. “It went really well and we had some great feedback on the report. People were really excited to read it,” she said. “Many of the guests have strong social media followings and we’ve also seen a good response to social media posts about the report since. Lots of people have been sharing it and people are responding really well: we had 100 downloads in the first couple of days, with a number of those new email subscribers. “The OWI has shared it on our channels too, of course, and also sent
the details and link to all our existing subscribers.
Accessible information “We’re excited to now have all of this information in one spot, in a really accessible format, and also to have the summary of the scientific literature. “It’s available to download on the OWI website and we’re hoping olive growers will access it, for their own knowledge and also to point others to the information when they have questions. “We’d love everyone to share it with their networks, and maybe display a copy at their Farmers Market stand with the web address for downloads. The more people reading it, the greater the understanding of why EVOO is so good for you, and the greater the benefit for the whole industry!”
Hard copy available The Olive Wellness Institute has printed an additional quantity of hard copies of the report, which are available for growers on request. Just email the team at info@ olivewellnessinstitute.org with your details and they’ll send you one. More information: www. olivewellnessinstitute.org, where you’ll find the report for download under Resources.
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VIC field day boosts basics knowledge and industry connections Continuing the industry’s run of informative and practical extension events, another successful olive growing field day was run on Sunday, 26 March at Seymour in Victoria. The AOA and regional Victorian grower group the Goulburn Strathbogie Olive Growers Association (GSOGA) combined resources to plan and run the event, which was hosted by growers Andrea and David Sefton. Information was targeted to assist both new and experienced olive producers and the full-day ‘Back to Basics’ program was just that, looking at baseline practices and issues around ensuring a healthy, productive grove: soil nutrition; soil test results; olive pests and diseases; and irrigation issues. The 50 attendees encompassed the whole gamut of industry experience, with feedback confirming the value of the information for all.
Planning to plant Hailley Kent is new to the industry and is working towards planting a grove later this year on her property at Wondilagong near Bright. She said they want to make sure they do it right, so they joined the AOA and have already attended several industry field days.
“I really like these events because they go through someone’s grove, either established or newer, and you get to see how they’re doing everything - including areas where they might need to learn or have some issues,” she said. “You get access to people’s
knowledge and all their experience, the opportunity to chat to them about it, and I can ask any questions that I have. “We’re setting up from the start, so things like spacings, varieties and irrigation are high on my information list. People have shared their
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experiences of having to re-do them, as they weren’t done correctly, so we want to do it all properly from the start to reduce any inefficiencies and need for change. “The different topics at this field day were really good for us in getting established, and the best thing was hearing what hasn’t worked and what other people find useful. You’ve really got to go to your own industry to learn that. “And olive people are all really lovely - the whole olive community has been wonderful to us. They want to share all their experience and knowledge, rather than keep it to themselves.
“The most valuable thing is being able to ask questions of more experienced people … listening to other farmers with advice on what works for them, what doesn't.” “These field days are invaluable and for anyone wondering whether they should attend, I’d say definitely go. Even if you’re established there are new things to learn, and you gain the benefits of other people’s experience of different things they might be trying.”
Two years in It’s now two and a half years since field day hosts Andrea and David Sefton bought a 20-year-old grove, and Andrea said they’re still on a learning curve. “So hosting the field day was a great opportunity for us, as we had the experts coming and having a look at our grove, particularly seeing whether we did have an issue or not with pests and disease,” she said. “Also in figuring out more about what we’ve got to get done in terms of making sure the soil side of things is correct. We went to the AOA Healthy Soil field day and were able to build
Want a field day in your region? The AOA’s field days are great events, tackling timely issues for olive businesses of all sizes and situations. And while the national series’ have a set focus (like the Healthy Soils roadshow), individual field days throughout the year are designed to tackle more timely and topical issues specific to regions. You and your neighbours may have been badly hit by unseasonal frost and are not sure how to care for your trees; you might be in a previously higher rainfall area which is now in drought, and need some insight into irrigation practices; or maybe a nasty olive pest or disease has found its way into your region … whatever the issue, getting together with a bunch of industry experts and talking it through is a great way to find a solution. The olive levy-funded industry extension project is all about getting information and answers out to growers to help you do business better, and have better businesses. So whether you’ve got issues in your region or a topic you all want to know more about, get in touch with the AOA about running a field day in your area.
How about hosting it? There are lots of benefits in hosting an AOA field day, most importantly the opportunity to gain hands-on expert advice on any issues in your grove. Or maybe you need some guidance on your pruning technique. It’s also a great way to showcase what you’re doing well, or the solutions you’ve found to problems you’ve had, and share your experience and advice with other growers. And don’t worry, it’s not hard - or expensive. The AOA will work with you on arrangements that suit your situation and facilities, help organise what’s needed and cover the costs of the day. What an opportunity! If you’re keen to take it up, contact AOA Administration Manager Liz Bouzoudis at secretariat@australianolives. com.au and register your interest.
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on that information at this one. “The other thing was being able to speak with other people in the area about what they do. We had an issue with irrigation - it’s there but hasn’t been used - so to be able to get feedback on that was great for us. Hearing what people do, what works and what doesn’t. “I’d recommend others to go to industry field days, and also to host. You learn a lot about your grove, and get a lot of answers. We also got a lot of contacts, which is great. It’s really good getting together with people who have the same issues, or different ones, and seeing how you can deal with them. “We’ll definitely be going to more AOA events and are already planning for the Canberra Conference.”
Knowledge transfer Andrew Ashby came all the way from New Zealand for the field day, piggybacking the event with attendance at the AOA’s Processing Workshop in SA a couple of weeks later. He said that while there are significant differences in grove management issues in the two countries, he took plenty away from the event. “I’m quite surprised how much in the grove does translate,” he said. “Overall the information transferred
well, especially the information from Robert Spooner-Hart on pests and a few of the diseases we get in New Zealand. One of the ideas in particular, of concentrating on the diseased trees rather than the whole grove, was really valuable and sensible, if you think about it. Being made aware of that was quite valuable, and the soil aspect was also quite interesting - learning more about the caring for the soil. “It was also quite a nice lunch - the catering was top notch. “And at under $60, it was cheap as chips. It was good value for me to come over for and I’d recommend them to anyone in Australia that can make it.”
Experienced growers Rob Whyte and Melanie Coid are comparative ‘old timers’, having run their award-winning Gooramadda Olives grove and business for the past 10 years. They’re still enthusiastic attendees at industry field days, which Melanie said have benefits far beyond the official program. “Field days are invaluable to all growers - new owners and ones who’ve had skin in the game for a long time,” she said. “Sometimes you get a refresher on something you may have forgotten, or maybe you’ve had something new
“Hosting the field day was a great opportunity for us, as we had the experts coming and having a look at our grove.” come up that you’re not sure how to deal with. You go to a field day and you’ve got knowledgeable people like Robert Spooner-Hart on hand to pick their brain and get solutions, along with a whole bunch of other growers who may have had the same issue or query and found the answer. “We went to this one for a couple of reasons: the information on offer, and we also wanted to connect with other growers - that’s really important. You might just need a little piece of information on equipment, for example - sourcing or repairing it, etc. It takes a long time to build that knowledge but you’re likely to find someone at a field day who knows the answer. “Connections in the industry are so important, and industry events are great places to make those connections.” This course is part of the Olive levy project Australian olive industry communications and extension program (OL22000), funded by Hort Innovation using the Hort Innovation olive research and development levy, co-investment from the Australian Olive Association and contributions from the Australian Government.
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Processing course continues to impress and inspire When it comes to learning opportunities, the AOA’s annual Olive Oil Processing Course is one of the most significant on the industry extension calendar. The intensive two-day event provides attendees with in-depth insight into the elements affecting olive oil quality, along with practical experience of the important differences that working with those elements can have. This year’s program was once again delivered face-to-face by international master olive miller Pablo Canamasas, with a change of venue to the Mypolonga grove and production facility of South Australian producer Rio Vista Olives. Rio Vista’s multi-award-winning miller Jared Bettio hosted and co-presented with Canamasas, sharing his practices and experience, and introducing attendees to the technology of the company’s new processing equipment. As in previous years, the comprehensive course covered every aspect of processing EVOO, from grove management for optimal fruit quality to best-practice processing and storage. Attendees also learned about olive oil chemistry and the practical aspects of oil extraction, and a guided tasting session by internationally-qualified olive oil sommelier and AIOA judge Sarah Ascuitto was a welcome new addition to the program. And once again, the event earned praise from across the range of industry participants.
Hort Innovation Industry Communications Project Manager Sharon Watt had her first tasting of freshly-extracted EVOO at the course.
Learning the secrets Long Paddock Olive Rustlers member Ed Knight made the long drive from Wagga Wagga for the workshop and said it was worth every kilometre. “The organising was brilliant. Everyone involved was really keen and the main presenter, Pablo, was just brilliant. He really put his heart and soul into it,” he said. “The friendliness and respect from all the attendees and organisers was greatly appreciated, and the catering was over the moon. “I learned so much but the most
important was about the warming of the fruit. We’re processing too cold, so we’ve got to work out a way to do that now. Also that the secret to good EVOO is good machinery, good people and good fruit. “It was most definitely worth the drive, and I’ll be coming back again.”
Awesomely informative Melissa and Eric Verecondi of Clare Estate are relative newbies to the EVOO processing game, having bought an existing grove in recent years. They’re still finishing a muchneeded major pruning of the entire grove but last year bought a small press and ran their first estate processing through it. Their overall description of the workshop was “awesome, and very informative”. “Jared is very approachable and Pablo is just incredible. They’re both so knowledgeable - and both such nice guys too,” Eric said. “I know a lot more now about how I can try to improve the processing,
7 and we’ve learned a lot about what we need to be able to do things better. Most importantly, we’ve learned we need a bigger press.” For Melissa, all that new knowledge has translated into enthusiasm for the job ahead. “I’m keen to get home and look at my olive trees. I feel totally energetic and enthusiastic for the harvest,” she said. “We learned so much, and it was well worth the money, time and effort in coming - definitely good bang for your buck! And the food was beautiful, which is always a bonus.”
Third time attendee
Pre-event priming
Rod Lingard, Chairman of awardwinning New Zealand producer The Olive Press, has attended the AOA Processing Workshop twice before. That didn’t stop him coming a third time, this year bringing with him two young Māori cadets.
Attendance also once again included access to a four-hour pre-event webinar by Canamasas, covering theoretical learning including grove management practices and their impact on quality, determining optimal harvesting times, oil storage and filtration, and the parameters determining olive oil quality and shelf life.
He says the workshop is a fantastic introduction for anyone looking to make a career in olives. “Our company’s new cadets were like sponges,” he said. “They soaked up the first day presentations, quizzed me late that night about the global olive business, then fronted at 6am the following morning to see Jared and his team harvesting the olives for the workshop demos. “And Rio Vista was an ideal venue for us this year with our new cadets. We operate the same harvesting and processing technologies - plus, of course, we have the shared affinity of being joint Best Flavoured Oil of Show winners at the 2020 Australian International Olive Awards!”
Processing and more Rod said he always learns something new from the workshop. “It’s also a great place for networking and catching up on the latest trends and opportunities,” he said. “For example, chatting with Michael (Southan) gave me huge insights into the potential for olives to be at the forefront of our respective countries’ climate change and carbon reduction strategies.”
Fellow New Zealander Andrew Ashby said the two-stage format is a great idea. “All the chemical stuff was sent out prior so you could look at it in your own time,” he said. “I’ve attended courses in past and by the time you get to the chemical side of things you’re exhausted. With this one I picked up a lot more than I have in the past just because of having all that information prior to attending. That was really valuable.”
Important outcomes AOA CEO Michael Southan said this year’s event was a success on many fronts. “It was a terrific course, and a little different from last year’s,” he said. “Pablo was excited to see some equipment he hasn’t seen and worked with before, so for him it was different, and everyone was interested to see the facilities that Rio Vista have. It was great that everything could be held there the presentations, the dinner and processing - and it worked really well. “We had people there who were trying to determine whether to invest
in a mill or not, who said that what they learned helped them make the decision as to which path they would follow. That’s just as important an outcome, helping people work out whether it’s practical for them or not. “And it was great to see people from as far away as New South Wales and New Zealand attending. It’s proof of the value of the course and the information shared, and also the enthusiasm of the industry to keep increasing production quality.” The AOA Processing Course will be held again in April 2024, with a similar program and schedule (location TBC). Places are always limited, so if you haven’t attended yet - or have want a refresher contact Liz Bouzoudis at secretariat@ australianolives.com.au to reserve your place for this ‘must-do’ learning event.
This course is part of the Olive levy project Australian olive industry communications and extension program (OL22000), funded by Hort Innovation using the Hort Innovation olive research and development levy, co-investment from the Australian Olive Association and contributions from the Australian Government.
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Xylella field training at 2023 national Diagnostics and Surveillance Workshop Xylella fastidiosa, Australia’s number one national priority plant pest and one of the greatest threats to the olive industry across the globe, was a practical focus topic of the recent Annual Diagnostics and Surveillance Workshop (ADSW) run by Plant Health Australia (PHA).
ADSW 2023 Held in Canberra in May, the threeday event involved 200 delegates from the National Plant Biosecurity and Diagnostic Network - 110 in person and 90 online - and a range of national and international expert presenters. Themed Implementation through connections, the program consisted of presentation sessions, panel discussions, training workshops and a field day, which allowed diagnosticians and surveillance practitioners to come together and share knowledge and learnings. Topics covered included new technologies; connecting surveillance and diagnostic practitioners; outreach and engagement; R&D implementation to connect wider industry; building blocks of the plant
biosecurity system; and connections across Australia’s National Surveillance Protocols and National Diagnostic Protocols. The final day saw delegates attend a field training activity at the Australian National Botanical Gardens, where they participated in surveillance of Xylella fastidiosa (based on National Diagnostic Protocol Section 9), and diagnostics using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) analysis and Agdia kit for Xylella. Notes: LAMP is a method of testing used for viral RNA and DNA detection well-suited for field diagnostics. Agdia are branded test kits designed specifically for plant pathogens and transgenic (GMO) traits.
Critical protocols “ADSW 2023 aimed to enhance and strengthen Australia’s diagnostic and surveillance capacity and capability to identify priority plant pests that impact on plant industries, environment and the community,” said Dr Lucy Tran-Nguyen, PHA General Manager, Partnerships and Innovation.
“National Diagnostic Protocols (NDP) and National Surveillance Protocols (NSP) are critical as the primary source of information in plant biosecurity diagnostics and surveillance activities. It was exciting to see the draft Xylella NDP be applied in a training exercise at ADSW2023. “The surveillance work instruction developed from NDP Section 9 was used for sampling host species and tested using the assays described in the NDP. As expected, testing showed the samples were free from Xylella, given that it is currently not present in Australia or New Zealand.” ADSW2023 was facilitated by PHA and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) as a part of the ‘National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostics and Surveillance Professional Development and Protocols’ projects.
More information: www. planthealthaustralia.com.au; www. plantbiosecuritydiagnostics.net.au
This R&D Insights insert has been funded by Hort Innovation using the olive research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower‑owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.
2023 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition
2023 National Industry Conference returns to Australia’s National Capital The AOA’s National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition heads back to Canberra this year, marking a return to the national capital after a 13-year hiatus. Running across two full days and evenings on Thursday 26 and Friday, 27 October, the 2023 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition will be held at the Ann Harding Conference Centre, part of the University of Canberra in the ACT suburb of Bruce. The modern, light-filled venue has ample car parking and is walking distance to numerous accommodation options and the Belconnen shopping district. Casual parking is available onsite.
Responsive program
This year’s program is a little different than in recent years and will feature shorter plenary sessions on both days, combined with in-venue and field activities. Feature presentations respond directly to topics raised at last year’s Conference, or suggestions from growers at other AOA events throughout the year, while a tour of local groves on the Friday afternoon will provide the ever-popular opportunity for peer discussion and problem-solving of grove management issues.
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2023 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition Here’s a taste of what’s on offer: Introducing exhibitors The first day will open with a ‘Meet the Exhibitors’ session, where delegates will be introduced to the exhibiting companies’ representatives. We’ll learn from each who they are and what their business is about, and they’ll introduce the key feature product or service that they’re promoting, so you can grab a coffee and head straight for the information you’re after to boost your olive business. Regenerative agriculture One of this year’s keynote speakers is Campbell Mercer, an award-winning olive producer who also practices agro-forestry and regenerative farming at his Manna Hill Estate farm. Campbell eats, lives and breathes biodynamic farming, and will share how he uses olives and his olive grove in regenerative farming practices. EVOO, olives and cooking Growers’ calls for upskilling around cooking with EVOO and olives will be answered with several sessions featuring chefs with their fingers firmly on the olive pulse. Thursday’s plenary program will be followed by an afternoon cooking demonstration by Michelle
Southan, food director of taste.com.au, and Joanna Savill, food journalist and presenter of SBS TV’s Food Lovers' Guide to Australia. Friends and olive lovers since they toured Spain together 20 years ago, these two passionate and skilled food experts will take delegates through a demonstration and discussion around the many and varied uses of olive products. The cooking theme will continue with a presentation by chef, food sustainability expert and culinary judge Tawnya Bahr of food consultancy Straight to the Source. Tawnya’s bent is shortening the connection between growers, producers, chefs, and foodies, and she’s a fierce farmers’ market advocate. The co-operative model Economies of scale, labour problems and the high capital cost of equipment are all ongoing issues for our industry base of predominantly small producers, and co-operatives are increasingly being raised as a possible solution for some growers. So we’ll also be taking an in-depth look at the agricultural co-operative model: how they work and who they work for.
2023 National Olive Industry Trade Exhibition: face-to-face expert advice and information
An invaluable element of the annual national industry Conference is the all-important Trade Exhibition, held alongside the plenary program on both Thursday and Friday. Exhibitors and sponsors show their support of the industry through their participation in the event, providing personalised information on the latest olive industry-specific products and services. Their attendance provides an unequalled opportunity to discuss your individual business needs, and grove or production issues, face-to-face and oneon-one with experts in their respective fields. Along with solutions to many of those tricky problems, it’s a great chance to discover new ways to improve your grove and production practices … and business profitability. All refreshments and and lunch each day will be served in the Exhibition space, making those handy expert advisors easy to find. Make the most of the opportunity and pick their brains!
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2023 National Olive Industry Conference & Exhibition
Registration
Registration and AIOA dinner bookings will open in July via the Conference website - www.nationaloliveconference.com.au. Note that different prices once again apply for AOA members, non-members and olive levy payers: please ensure your 2023-24 AOA membership is paid prior to registering to ensure you receive the heavily discounted member rate. Unfinancial members at the time of booking will revert to the non-member rate.
Discounted delegate accommodation rates
The AOA has secured special discount rates for the Mercure Canberra Belconnen, located within walking distance to the Conference venue. To access the delegate rate, book online via the Conference website - www.nationaloliveconference.com.au - under the Delegate Information dropdown. The special rate is available for a limited number of rooms only, and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, so booking early is advised to ensure your discount.
2023 AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition program Thursday, 26 October & Friday, 27 October, Ann Harding Conference Centre: • Plenary sessions • Grove visits • EVOO cooking class • Olive workshop
Several other hotels are located within close vicinity of the Conference venue, including the Abode Belconnen and Ramada Encore Belconnen.
More information
We’ll bring you more detail on the program and speakers in the September edition of Olivegrower & Processor and information will be updated as it is confirmed on the Conference website - www. nationaloliveconference.com.au. You can also contact AOA Admin Manager Liz Bouzoudis at secretariat@australianolives.com.au or 0478 606 145 with any questions. For details about event sponsorship and the trade exhibition contact Exhibition Manager Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au or 0408 525 798.
AOA AGM
AOA members are advised that the 2023 AOA Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in conjunction with the Conference event, making the most of the industry gathering. Chaired by AOA President Michael Thomsett, the AGM will be held at 4pm on Wednesday, 25 October at the Mercure Canberra Belconnen. Open to all members, pre-registration is required to attend: members will be invited via email in the weeks leading up to the event. The National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition is facilitated by the Australian Olive Association , partially funded by Hort Innovation using the Olive R&D levy, with in-kind contributions from the Australian Olive Association and funding from the Australian Government. The event is also supported by a range of industry sponsors and exhibitors.
Thursday pm: Conference Dinner, Canberra Institute of Technology Restaurant Friday pm: 2023 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation Dinner, Ann Harding Conference Centre (Optional - additional ticket) Full program and details TBC. Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 33
Grove management
Winter/spring rainfall is predicted to be well below average across most of Australia this year.
The immediate effect of drought is complete loss of soil water (Jose Ignacio Pompe/Unsplash).
We need more carbon in our soil to help Australian farmers through the drought The coming winter and spring are likely to be dry across Eastern Australia, with the US Climate Prediction Centre (CPC) rating the chance of an El Niño event at over 90%. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says current modelling also shows a dry Indian Ocean signal will reinforce the El Niño, a combination which has created some of our driest years on record. Predicted winter rainfall is therefore well below average across most of Australia, so here’s some timely expert advice on how we can prime our soils for drought and retain productivity. Nanthi Bolan - Professor of Environmental Science, University of Newcastle Australia has never been a stranger to droughts, but climate change is now supercharging them. Besides taking a toll on human health, droughts also bake the earth. This means the ground holds less water, creating a vicious cycle of dryness. Our research has investigated ways to improve the health and structure of soil so it can hold more water, even during droughts. It’s vital to help farmers safeguard their soil as we adapt to an increasingly droughtprone climate.
Soil moisture is key
The immediate effect of drought is complete loss of soil water. Low moisture reduces soil health and productivity, and increases the loss of fertile top soil through wind and water erosion. To describe how we can improve soil health, we first need to explain some technical aspects of soil moisture. Soil moisture is dictated by three factors: the ability of the soil to absorb water; its capacity to store that water; and the speed at which the water is lost through evaporation and run-off, or used by growing plants. These three factors are primarily determined by the proportions of sand, silt and clay; together these create the “soil structure”. The right mixture means there are plenty of “pores” - small open spaces in the soil.
Soils dominated by very small “micropores” (30-75 micrometres), such as clay soil, tend to store more water than those dominated by macropores (more than 75 micrometers), such as sandy soil. If the balance is skewed, soil can actually repel water, increasing run-off. This is a major concern in Australia, especially in some areas of Western Australia and South Australia.
Improving soil structure
Good soil structure essentially means it can hold more water for longer (other factors include compaction and surface crust). Farmers can improve soil structure by using minimum tillage, crop rotation and return of crop residues after harvest. Another important part of the puzzle is the amount of organic matter in the soil. It breaks down into carbon and nutrients, which is essential for absorbing and storing water. There are three basic ways to increase the amount of organic matter a given area: • grow more plants in that spot, and leave the crop and root residue after harvest; • slow down decomposition by tilling less and generally not disturbing the soil more than absolutely necessary; • apply external organic matter through compost, mulch, biochar and biosolids (treated sewage sludge).
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Biosolids
Typically, biosolids are used to give nutrients to the soil, but we researched its impact on carbon storage as well. When we visited a young farmer in Orange, NSW, he showed us two sites: one with biosolids, and one without. The site with biosolids grew a bumper crop of maize the farmer could use as fodder for his cattle; the field without it was stunted. The farmer told us the extra carbon had captured more moisture, which meant strong seedling growth and a useful crop. This illustrates the value of biowastes including compost, manure, crop residues and biosolids in capturing and retaining moisture for crop growth, reducing the impact of drought on soil health and productivity.
Good management
Improving soil health cannot happen overnight, and it’s difficult to achieve while in midst of a drought. But how farmers manage their soil in the good times can help prepare them for managing the impacts of the next drought when it invariably comes. The author thanks Dr Michael Crawford, CEO of Soil CRC, for his substantial contribution to this article, which was originally published on The Conversation www.theconversation.com
Grove management
Here’s visual proof from space, thanks to NASA The dire effects of drought on plants have been starkly brought to life by a series of images released recently by NASA on its Earth Observatory website. Spain’s meteorological agency has recorded that from the start of the hydrological year on 1 October 2022 to mid-May 2023, the country received 28% less rain than expected. The drought dried up reservoirs, parched olive groves, and led to water restrictions across the country.
The difference a drought year makes …
NASA Spain 10 May 2022
NASA Spain 10 May 2023
Less healthy vegetation
This map, which also uses MODIS data from NASA’s Terra satellite, compares NDVI from 25 March to 23 April 2023, with the longer-term average (2000–2010) for that period.
The effects of the drought are also shown in the map below, which indicates where vegetation on the Iberian Peninsula was less healthy than usual (brown) in the spring of 2023. It shows anomalies in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a satellite-derived product used to assess vegetation conditions. NDVI depicts the health, or “greenness”, of vegetation based on how much red and near-infrared light the leaves reflect. Healthy vegetation reflects more infrared light and less visible light than stressed vegetation.
The images below from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite show where green vegetation in May 2022 (left) turned brown by May 2023 (right). The sparse rainfall further parched soils already unusually dry in 2022.
Challenging olive production
Particularly relevant is the significant browning of southern Spain: the Andalusia region in southern Spain is the largest olive oil producing region in the world, accounting for 25% of the 2022 global olive oil supply. As of May 19, Córdoba had received only about 30% of expected rainfall, compared to the 1981-2010 average for Andalusia. Similarly scant rain fell in nearby Jaén, which recorded 16% of normal rainfall through mid-May. And in February Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced a one-third reduction in the country’s previous estimated olive production for the 2022/23 crop year. It’s clear evidence of the effects of drought on olive production, and more proof of the need for us all to get out into the grove and put more - literally - into our soils. Source: NASA’s Earth Observatory - www.earthobservatory.nasa. gov.
NASA NDVI Mar-Apr 2023
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Grove management
Biochar and soil improvement One of the soil amendment products suggested by Prof Bolan is biochar, an age-old product receiving increasing new attention. Let’s take a look at what it is, how it works and the considerations around its usage. Biochar is a soil conditioner with unique characteristics such as high surface area, porosity, and surface charges. The application of biochar, the charcoal produced from the slow pyrolysis of a biomass, has been found to improve soil properties in several ways. Research has shown that applying biochar to soils can increase nutrient use efficiency, nutrient uptake by plants, microbial population and soil water retention. The effectiveness of biochar depends on a few factors: soil type, the feedstock used to synthesise the biochar, the pyrolysis conditions (e.g. temperature) used for the synthesis, and the application rate.
Biochar as a source of plant nutrients
Biochar can provide an important source of plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. By increasing the nutrient use efficiency, the plant growth and yield is increased. Biochar increases nitrogen retention in soil by reducing leaching and gaseous loss. It can act as a potential nutrient reservoir, with nutrients released during the weathering of the biochar in the soil becoming available for plant uptake. The feedstock and temperature used to produce biochar can affect the plant availability of various nutrients in the product. The higher the nutrient content of the feedstock, the higher the value of the biochar in supplying nutrients available to the plants - for example, biochar produced using manure or biosolids contains higher rates of nutrients than those produced using crop residues or woody plants. Biochar produced under low temperature pyrolysis is also more likely to stimulate nutrient exchange and improve soil fertility. While research has found nitrogen uptake is increased when applying biochar, results are inconsistent for potassium and other nutrient retention.
Biochar improves water retention
The addition of biochar has been found to increase the ability of soil to hold water, thereby increasing the plant-available water. Hard biochar - that is, biochar produced from wood, nutshells, bamboo or seeds - has large porosity and surface area, and holds more water than other biochars. For example, in sandy soils, rice husk biochar has been found to be very effective in increasing water availability.
Biochar improves soil biology
Biochar alters the soil biological properties by increasing microbial populations, enzyme activity, soil respiration and microbial biomass. Because of its porous nature, biochar can be a favourable habitat for soil microorganisms including bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi and actinomycetes. Enzyme activity is also increased when biochar is applied to the soil, which in some cases contributes to improving availability of nutrients such as phosphorous. Research on various biochar products, such as peanut shell and green waste biochar, has found that microbial activity is increased when applied to the soil. There have been some cases where earthworm populations were negatively impacted. It is believed this can be attributed to the rapid pH change or high ammonia concentration, or the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) due to the addition of biochar. Sources: This is a summary by the Soil CRC of a literature review on biochar and its importance on nutrient dynamics in soil and plants, published in the journal Biochar. Summary: www.soilcrc.com.au. Review: Hossain, M.Z., Bahar, M.M., Sarkar, B. et al. Biochar and its importance on nutrient dynamics in soil and plant. Biochar 2, 379–420 (2020). https://doi. org/10.1007/s42773-020-00065-z.
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New Zealand
Recent NZ EVOO Awards Best in Show winners (left to right) Waikawa Glen - 2022, Kapiti - 2021 and Olive Black - 2020. Could you take home the trophy in 2023?
Reni returns to lead 2023 NZ EVOO Awards judging panel Olives New Zealand has announced the judging line-up for this year’s NZ EVOO Awards, with South African expert Reni Hildenbrand leading the panel as Head Judge. Reni joins five New Zealand judges for the 2023 competition: Charlotte Connoley, Roberto Zecca, Hilary Fenemor, Ed Scott and Peter Coubrough. All are highly experienced judges and most have judged at international level. Reni owns the award-winning Hildenbrand Wine and Olive Estate in Wellington, South Africa, an environmentally-friendly farm and guest house based around historic 300-yearold buildings. The farm was the site of the first commercial planting of olive trees in South Africa in 1893, and Reni now nurtures a grove of 3500 trees.
International experience
A member of the South African Olive Association since 1992, Reni obtained certification as an olive oil taster from the National Organization of Olive Oil Tasters, Italy (ONAOO) at the University of Imperia. She qualified for her Panel Leader certificate there two years later. She has been Panel Leader of the South African Olive Certification program assessment team for many years and has
2023 NZ EVOO Awards - Key Dates Entries open: 1 August Entries close: 31 August Results announced (Medals and Major Awards): 30 September, during the Awards Cocktail Evening at MTG Hawke’s Bay, Napier. judged at the SA Olive Awards for 13 years. She has judged on Sol D’Oro competition panels in Italy, Japan and Peru, on tasting panels in Turkey and was Head Judge at the 2016 NZ EVOO Awards. Reni’s contribution to the South African industry has been recognised with Achiever of the Year Awards in 2008 and 2013 and co-authored the book “Olives and Oil in South Africa”, published in 2003. Having rounded out her knowledge with visits to many of the world’s olive growing countries, Reni also presents olive and olive oil tasting courses.
Tasting courses
Luckily for New Zealand growers, she’ll be doing so while she’s in the country for
the competition, conducting a series of tasting courses across regional New Zealand between 17 and 30 September. Details are still being confirmed: Olives NZ will let members know once they’re finalised, and we’ll also post the details in the Friday Olive Extracts e-newsletter.
Cocktail presentation
Reni will then join growers and other industry members in Napier for the 2023 NZ EVOO Awards presentation, which this year will be a cocktail event at the MTG Hawke's Bay museum, theatre and art gallery complex. Both medals and major award trophies will be awarded at the event, so don’t miss your chance to be there to collect yours and be celebrated by your peers. More information and enter: www.olivesnz. org.nz.
Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 37
Olive business
How to organise a community olive oil processing event With food security and sustainability growing in prominence on the public radar, the harvesting of abandoned olive trees in streets and other public places is becoming increasingly popular. Community pressing events are a great way for our industry to support the movement, and have spin-off benefits in terms of education around the quality and freshness of locally produced EVOO. Apulia Grove Olives’ Ceilidh and Charlie Meo process for several annual local community street picks and have shared their experience of how run a successful event. By Ceilidh Meo, Apulia Grove Olives Apulia Grove is a family-run olive grove with a small batch processing service, located in central Victoria near the town of Heathcote. With a batch capacity of between 50-200kg, the OlioMio150 we run gets a pretty serious workout each harvest season, processing both our own fruit, and that of other small growers and community groups throughout Victoria. As of harvest 2023, we facilitate the processing for, or fully organise, five community olive oil processing events. I’m writing to share a run-down of how we do it, and why it’s a worthwhile thing to consider starting in your local area.
Processing only
Facilitating the processing only is the simplest way in which to be involved with a community processing event. This means that a community (group) representative books our processing service for a batch
of fruit. They organise the pickers, picking, delivery, collection, bottling and distribution of the oil and we spend, at most, a few hours on the job. Our service includes removing leaves from the harvest and transferring it into standard 25kg crates for ease of processing, weighing the batch (to enable calculation of the EVOO yield at the end), processing the fruit and returning the oil to the representative in a bulk storage container once payment for the batch has been received. They usually come back to collect the oil from the farm, but we do also offer a delivery service. We also have a reduced price for the processing service provided to community groups, as they sometimes use the olive as a fundraising product for local sports or service clubs. We want them to be able to get the most profit possible, while still covering our costs. Note: You can find our processing service
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prices on in the FAQ document at www. apulia-grove.com.au/processing, which is updated in late March each year.
The whole shebang
The more complicated aspect of community processing events is organising and co-ordinating one yourself. I undertake this in conjunction with a local community organisation in Bendigo called the Old Church on the Hill. We initially got involved with this community event in 2020 when the Victorian Government instigated travel restriction during the COVID pandemic, which meant that the mobile olive oil press which had been organised couldn’t travel from Melbourne to Bendigo. Having already established a relationship with the Old Church on the Hill manager through supplying our EVOO to their Community Pantry bulk buying club, when I heard they were short a press I offered to step in with
Olive business
“Is it just an olive processing event, or are there going to be other things happening around that to promote EVOO and its uses?”
olive processing so that the event didn’t have to be cancelled all together.
Steps and stages
This event has evolved over a couple of years due to pandemic restrictions, and will continue to do so as funding cycles change from year to year. But essentially, here is an outline of how we bring it all together.
12 months in advance
Pick a date The first year, the event had been planned for late June and everyone brought the fruit to our farm, which has a dirt driveway. We had to meet deliveries at the gate on the day
because it was raining and we didn’t want the urban vehicles to get bogged. The rain also kept some people from harvesting the day before, so we ended up with about half as much fruit as we’d anticipated for the batch. Due to the water in the fruit and some of it being frost-affected, we decided that the event should be run earlier in the season in future. We like the weekend after Mother’s Day, in mid-May. Organise what you actually want to happen on the day Is it just an olive processing event, or are there going to be other things happening around that to promote EVOO and its uses,
the noble history of the olive and general seasonal harvest celebrations? These events can gather scope-creep really fast, and harvest happens at the end of the financial year, so the sooner you can get your budget approved and the funding applications in, the better off you’ll be. Organise the run sheet In its simplest form, this will be a note that says “Olives are delivered to (place) on (date) at (time) and oil is collected from (place) on (date) at (time)”. You’ll need to determine before the event how the oil will be returned to people, as that will determine how you accept the fruit and any other processes that need to happen at
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Olive business
Bendigo resident Sue Inglis was excited to deliver her contribution to Ceilidh for the community processing.
delivery. For example, we return a set amount of the oil to people based on how much fruit they deliver to the batch, and the rest of the oil is donated to the Old Church on the Hill Community Kitchen for use in feeding the community throughout the year. You may like to return the percentage of oil based on the percentage of fruit contributed to the total batch or some other arrangement you agree on with the contributors. Whatever your model, try to make sure the rules are clearly understood by everyone, including yourself.
“If you can get on local radio stations like the ABC, that’s great publicity.” Work out who’s doing what on the day of the event If you’re just processing fruit into oil, you’ll still need at least a couple of volunteers for crowd control and to make notes on fruit contribution weights, especially if you’re distributing oil based on the percentage of fruit contributed to the batch. This is easiest with three people: one to greet the harvesters and show them where to line up, one to weigh and record the fruit amounts and one to load the fruit into the delivery vehicle.
If you have other things like workshops or demonstrations happening around the fruit delivery, you will obviously need more people to manage those as well. It’s nice if you’re going to be applying for funding to factor in a teaching fee for people who are running the satellite events too. Make sure you ask the facilitators if they would like to be involved and issue them with the date so they can put it in their calendar with plenty of advance notice. Clarify who’s paying for your time and effort to process the olives Because we partner with a not-for-profit group to organise these events, I volunteer the time required for the background logistics but we get paid for the actual processing. If you have partnered with a community organisation for the event, you are more likely to be able to secure funding from local council. This is great but you’ll need to submit a budget when applying and you’ll have to write up a report accounting for expenditure at the completion of the event. The other option is to make it a “user pays” event, which can unfortunately deter some community members from getting involved. We have previously worked on the user pays basis by selling tickets to the processing batch at $20 per registrant no matter how much fruit they bring, and they are guaranteed at least 1L of oil for that price. We justify this by reminding people that $20/
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litre is a great price for organic, fresh EVOO of known provenance. It can get tricky if the person registering has picked their own and a neighbour’s trees, and they still only get 1L of oil, but we find that clear communication from the beginning helps to set realistic expectations. Your budget should also determine if the people running satellite events (workshops etc) will be paid, and how much. If your event is user pays, you will need to advertise the ticket price for the workshops as well, or determine if it will be included in the processing ticket price, whether or not they attend any of the workshops.
Six months from the event
Establish a limit on how much fruit people can bring (if needed), or how many batches you will allocate to the event You should have a good idea of how big the local harvest is likely to be by this stage of the year. We have physical limitations on the batch size that our machine can process and, while we can do continuous processing, we find that with table varieties it causes a lot of down time in blocked pipes etc. The events we run are designed to help small growers who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access enough fruit to make a private batch viable, so our rule is that if you have 50kg or more to contribute to the community event, you need to book a private batch at
Olive business
Many public spaces are home to productive olive trees … community pressing events make use of a valuable community resource.
the regular processing rates. Again, clear communication up front will save you a lot of potential arguments on the day. For Harvest 2023, we are setting aside a full day (three bookings) for processing the community event harvest. This is partially because the local olive trees are laden with fruit, and also because more people know about the event and want to get involved.
Three months from the event
Start your advertising campaign Place an ad in the local paper, and make sure you include a link to allow people to “register their interest”. We have a Google Docs questionnaire that we link to, which collects growers’ names, email, contact phone, location of the olive trees and variety (if known), and a rough guess as to how much fruit is on the trees. You might want to place a Facebook Ad, which can be targeted to people interested in gardening, food growing, cooking etc in the local area. If it’s your first event, it’s a good idea to let people know it’s happening but if you have limitations on how much fruit you can deal with, or how many people you can fit in your venue for workshops etc, you don’t necessarily have to do that every year. We also send out a “Save the Date” notification email to previous attendees, and anyone running satellite events on the day, which also includes the link to the questionnaire and allows people to plan their own calendars to accommodate the event. This is the stage at which you’ll go over the details with presenters of what will be covered in the workshops, any equipment requirements that may be needed, etc. Get
“Our rule is that if you have 50kg or more to contribute to the community event, you need to book a private batch at the regular processing rates.” expressions of interest from volunteers who can help on the day and what jobs will need to be done. Assume that not everyone will turn up, in spite of indicating they will, and make sure you have a few more names than you actually need. Make sure you share the run sheet with everyone involved, so they know where and when things are happening on the day. Get the local bigwigs on board Make a list of councillors, or others associated with any funding you’ve received, and email them to invite them to your event. They usually have calendars that book up early, so the more notice you can give them of your event, the more likely they will attend. That’s not necessarily a guarantee though.
Two months from the event date
Keep communication lines open You should have everything finalised regarding any satellite events by this stage but if not, make sure you’re keeping in regular contact with presenters and other organisers. If you’ve applied for funding, you may not find out whether that’s been successful until quite close to the event, so make sure to keep attendees up to date as to what’s going on
in that respect too. You may have to switch to a “user pays” event at the last moment, but at least you’ll have all interested parties’ emails from your registrant questionnaire so you can advise them quickly and easily. Being open and honest with an email that says “sorry, the funding didn’t come through like we hoped” can help soften the fact that people will have to pay to be part of the event, as does reminding them of the value for money of the oil produced which they will get back.
One month from the event date
Ramp up the advertising campaign Post it to all your social media accounts. Share how excited you are to meet the participants, or reconnect with previous event attendees, and to be helping with the processing event. If you can get on local radio stations like the ABC, that’s great publicity and is usually free, especially if you’re partnering with a local not-for-profit, or you’ve gotten funding and can offer a free event. Make sure you notify your local council and/or newspaper and/or tourist information centre so they can put the information in their community events section too. Get word out to surrounding towns too; some of them will have local newsletters as well. Send an email to participants asking them to purchase tickets (make sure the link is live and working!) if you’re going with a user pays model. If the event is free, re-send the registrant questionnaire and get a more accurate estimate of the fruit each person will be contributing if you can or need to.
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Olive business
Some groups label their oil.
One week from the event
Last minute logistics Are you offering baskets or crates for people to pick into? If so, make sure you email them to arrange delivery or collection. Finalise needs and expectations with satellite event presenters etc. Design a registration form for people to complete on the day so you can keep the fruit contribution weights straight for oil distribution. You can use an iPad or hard copy as you prefer, but make sure you have redundancy planned in if there’s no internet connection and you need it … If you’re using hanging scales to weigh the fruit contributions, make sure there’s something to hang the scales from at the drop-off point. Last minute advertising Get on the radio again and tell everyone how excited you are about the event and what’s going to be happening on the day. Share the run sheet again. Send a press release to the local paper and in the covering email invite them to send along a photographer on the day.
Day before the event
Breathe! Set up any tables and so forth at the dropoff point if you can. If you’re using outdoor spaces and it’s safe to do so, get marquees and stall coverings up to save you time and effort tomorrow. Make sure your scales are working, have batteries etc. and that you’ve charged your device if you’re taking registration details electronically. If you’re collecting fruit from a central drop-off point, load the car with the scales, pen and registration forms (or device to access them), crates for fruit transportation.
Progressive percentages
Ceilidh touched base just before we went to print with some figures from the first of their 2023 community pressing events: “We ended up with 474.8kg from Bendigo on May 21, which yielded 13.6% or 64.59L of oil in total. “The Port Philips Pickers (PPP) brought us 366.5kg of fruit with a yield of 10.6%, which equates to 38.96L. That was their second pressing with us, however, with a previous PPP batch brought to us three weeks earlier. The first was 502.6kg and yielded 9.6% or 48.02L. “What a difference a few weeks can make, especially this year!”
“By sharing how good real EVOO is with other people, it pays us back in further sales throughout the year.” Get a good night’s sleep and try not to stress about the things that might have been forgotten. Advertise again Post the event to your social media accounts. Email everyone you can think of to let them know you’re too excited to sleep because of all the cool things happening the next day.
Day of the event
Be early Make sure you’ve got yourself plenty of time to make yourself a flask of coffee and something to eat to take with you, as well as a water bottle. The more time you have to set up, the better. Hopefully you were able to take advantage of yesterday to do some site preparation but if not, gather your volunteers and have at. Organised chaos will be the order of the day, but keeping yourself
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hydrated and communicating clearly will help ease any potential issues.
Week after the event
Email participants to advise batch statistics People love to find out things like the total weight of fruit, total yield of oil, most common variety etc. Let them know how, when and where the oil will be distributed. Are you having a bottling event too? We settle the oil in our storage area until after the harvest season is done, then invite people to a bottling day in around August. Take time out to evaluate how it all went Make time, both alone and with the others, to ask yourself some questions: What did you and the team do well? What could you improve on? Do you want to do it again next year? Then send me an email to let me know how you went and if this timeline helped: ceilidh@ apulia-grove.com.au.
Start small and grow
It’s going to appear like there is a lot of work involved in this type of community event and I won’t lie, if you’re trying to do it all yourself if can be hectic at times. But once you have the contacts established, you have a timeline to work to and you have some
Olive business
experience with how the day unfolds, you will find that it’s easier than it seems. My advice would be to start small and grow the event, if you want to. I probably spend a total of a week (over a 12-month period) doing behind the scenes organisation, emailing people, attending meeting etc, and then the day before and the day of fully engaged in actively working to make the event run smoothly. As I mentioned, I volunteer my time in this way, because I value the bigger picture of what the Old Church on the Hill does in the broader community and I love being able to help return some of the support they’ve shown us. I also value the opportunity to increase local food security, reduce food waste and help stop the spread of fruit fly in our own area through processing otherwise unwanted olives into EVOO. We see the event as part of our marketing and promotion budget and, by sharing what we love to do and how good real EVOO is with other people, it pays us back in further sales throughout the year. Beyond their sales value, the connections that we have established within the local community are especially precious for their social value too. Good food is made to share with good people, and we love doing that the most. More information: www.apulia-grove.com. au; ceilidh@apulia-grove.com.au.
The colourful result of having multiple individual fruit contributions.
Register of small-batch processors – and now harvesters The Olivegrower and AOA team regularly receive enquiries from people looking for small-batch processors, so we put a register together which enables us to connect producers with small crops and processors who can process for them, to the mutual benefit of both. Recently we’ve also heard from growers looking for contract harvesting services,
which are currently in short supply, so we’re extending our register to also cover contract harvesting. We’d like to hear from processors across Australia and New Zealand able to process small batches of olives, both individually and those offering group crushings; also contract harvesters across all regions. The AOA’s register has worked well in
recent years, so we’re keen to make the register as complete as possible. Please send us your details so we can add you to the list - it could mean valuable additional work for your business. To be included on the register, please email your details to Olivegrower editor Gerri Nelligan at editor@olivegrower.com.au.
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Olive business
Digital marketing: big opportunities for small business Lauren Hamilton, Digital Narrative
The Robots are coming! Boost your marketing with AI Effective marketing is essential for food businesses in today's competitive digital landscape. However, it can be timeconsuming. Enter ChatGPT, an AI-powered language model that can streamline your marketing efforts. In this blog post, we'll explore how olive businesses can leverage ChatGPT to automate tasks like writing blogs, product descriptions, press releases, social media captions and website copy.
Getting started with ChatGPT 1.
Sign up on the ChatGPT website at https://chat.openai.com/. 2. Describe what you want in the search window, such as a blog on the health benefits of olive oil. 3. Review the initial draft and provide feedback to refine it. 4. ChatGPT will generate multiple drafts for you to review and edit. 5. Copy the final version to a Word document and personalise it to match your business.
Best uses for ChatGPT
Engaging blogs Use ChatGPT to create a first draft of a blog and then personalise it to your liking. For example, you can request a blog on "Why Olive Oil is Better for Your Health than Other Oils" and modify it to add your own examples and insights. Compelling press releases Craft attention-grabbing press releases by providing the necessary information about your news to ChatGPT. For instance, if you've added farm stays to your offerings or developed a new olive-themed high tea experience, ask ChatGPT to "write a press release about this" and it will generate one in the correct formatting. Enticing product descriptions Generate persuasive product descriptions
Let AI do your marketing work by using ChatGPT to generate content for your website and communications. Image: Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash.
that highlight the unique qualities of your olive products. Simply describe the product to ChatGPT, such as its flavour profile, awards it has won, and any health attributes it possesses. Edit the output to ensure it perfectly matches your product. Amusing social media captions Get clever captions for your photos by describing the image to ChatGPT and regenerating until you find the right one. For example, if you have a fun photo from your farm, provide a description and request a witty caption to accompany it. Captivating website copy Provide rough details about your olive business and ChatGPT will write an ‘About’ page or other website content. For instance, instruct ChatGPT to "write an ‘About’ page
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for an olive business run by Geoff and Jenny Shaw, based in Albury, started in 2012, with 20 staff, champion oils and table olives, and a line of skin products." Customise the output to match your specific offerings and brand voice.
Don’t forget to tweak
By embracing AI technology like ChatGPT, you can revolutionise your olive business's digital marketing strategy - save time, expand your efforts, and deliver high-quality content across various channels. Remember to customise the generated copy to add your own touch and ensure it aligns with your business's unique attributes. Oh, and to turn the spelling from US English to British English!
N AT I O N A L
OLIVE INDUSTRY conference & exhibition
Th urs 26 day -27 & Oc Frid tob ay er
Join us for the National Industry Conference in Australia’s National Capital!
SAVE THE DATES Anne Harding Conference Centre University of Canberra, ACT
Thursday 26 October & Friday 27 October Program includes: • Plenary sessions • Grove visits • EVOO cooking class • Olive workshop • Conference Dinner - Thursday 26 • 2023 Australian International Olive Awards Presentation Dinner - Friday 27 (Optional - additional ticket)
DELEGATE FEEDBACK “The talks were great: varied, but all linked and very relevant.” “Thanks so much to the AOA team for all their efforts; it was awesome.”
Full program and details TBC.
“It was great value for money. Every day and every session had something I really wanted to see, and we’ve gained information and ideas that we’re going to go home and act on.”
Registrations opening in July.
Note: The AOA has secured special discount rates for the Mercure Canberra Belconnen, available on a first-come-first-served basis. Delegates are encouraged to book early. The 2023 National Olive Conference & Trade Exhibition is facilitated by the Australian Olive Association, partially funded by Hort Innovation using the olive R&D levy, with in-kind support from the Australian Olive Association and funding from the Australian Government. The event is also supported by a range of industry sponsors and exhibitors.
Olive business
®
Best Practice Series Michael Southan, AOA OliveCare® Administrator
The OliveCare® program is all about helping olive producers achieve quality. With that aim, the Best Practice Series of articles discusses how to increase the yield of premium EVOO through best practice management strategies from the grove to the consumer.
We've recently shared news of an attempt to trademark the word ‘Agrumato’ in Australia which, if successful, would prohibit the use of the term by local producers. Protection of intellectual property (IP) is an important issue for all producers, so here’s a comprehensive overview of the topic from OliveCare® administrator Michael Southan. What is IP?
Intellectual property (IP) is the property of your mind or proprietary knowledge. It is a productive new idea you create. This can be an invention, trademark, design, brand or even the application of your idea. Your idea must be something new or original, but determining whether your idea is new or not is not always easy. Applying for an IP right to protect your idea can be critical if you want to build a business and establish your presence in a market. Some forms of IP require formal application and examination before you can claim a right to ownership, while others do not: • Copyright is a separate form of intellectual property which does not require registration. • Patents, trademarks, designs and plant breeder’s rights in Australia all do require formal application and examination as part of the registration process. Before you apply for any IP rights, it is important to understand the differences between the four main rights and which one suits your idea.
Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.
Patent
What is protected? Inventions - new technology, devices, substances or processes. A patent protects how an invention works or functions. Examples: polymer banknotes, anti-cervical cancer drug Gardasil. Patents have a big impact on innovation in Australia and around the world. They give the inventors confidence that their efforts to research, develop and produce great new things will be protected and rewarded.
Types of IP
Intellectual property (IP) rights provide IP owners with the time and opportunity to commercialise their creations. This protection serves as an incentive to innovate. The creator of IP is not necessarily the only owner. IP ownership can be agreed upon through appropriate contractual arrangements, especially with employees, suppliers, distributors and manufacturers. IP rights exist in many forms. In some cases, they don't need to be registered in order to be of value. Each type of IP provides different competitive advantages. Note: Registering a business, company or domain name does not give you exclusive rights like registered IP does. If you register a business, company or domain name, you do not automatically have the right to use that name as a trademark.
Tristan Gassert on Unsplash.
Geographical Indications
What’s protected? A geographical indication, or GI, identifies a good as originating in a specific territory, region or locality where a particular quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. Examples: Scotch whisky, Margaret River, Stilton, Champagne Australia has a dual system for protecting GIs: certification trade marks can be used to protect GIs for all goods, while GIs for wine can be protected on a stand-alone wine register.
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Olive business
Registered design
What’s protected? Product designs. The visual appearance of a product is protected but not the way it works. A design right protects the overall visual appearance of a new and distinctive product. The appearance may be a combination of shape, colour, pattern or more. Examples: footwear, fashion items, kitchen appliances. With total control over how the product looks, the owner has complete say in who can use it and how. This means they can commercialise it in the market, and or licence the design to others for a fee.
Trade mark
What is protected? Logos, phrases, words, letters, numbers, colours, shapes, pictures, sounds, an aspect of branding or packaging, or a combination of these. A trade mark helps distinguish a particular business' product or services from others in the market. Examples: Qantas, Lonely Planet, Optus, Boost. Having a strong brand helps a business influence new and existing customers, who make more purchases and promote the brand to others. By protecting their brand with a trade mark, a business can stop others from making lower quality products and pretending they're made by the genuine business, impacting the brand's value.
Plant breeder’s rights
What’s protected: New plant varieties - flowers, vegetables, fruits, bushes and shrubs. Plant breeder’s rights (PBR) protect the commercial rights of newly created varieties. Examples: cotton plants with insect resistance, pink iceberg rose. By protecting the new plant with a PBR the owner can commercialise it in the market and or allow others to breed the plant themselves for a licensing fee. This protection encourages the development of better plants, including those that can overcome problems faced by farmers, such as pests or drought.
Other
Copyright
What’s protected? Drawings, art, literature, music, film, broadcasts, computer programs. The owner’s original expression of ideas is protected, but not the ideas themselves. Example: Game of Thrones, the Mona Lisa, Gone With the Wind. Copyright protection is free and automatic. It protects your original expression of an idea as soon as you document it.
What’s protected? Trade secrets and confidential information. These types of IP rights give creators certain rights and privileges depending on the type of IP protection. Examples: Coca-Cola formula, Kentucky Fried Chicken seasoning recipe. A trade secret is confidential information that gives your business a competitive advantage. It may be secret formulas, methods or processes. Trade secrets aren't registered with an IP office. You can protect your trade secrets with secrecy and confidentiality agreements. Common law covers infringement of trade secrets and breaches of confidentiality agreements.
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Restrictions
Registered intellectual property (IP) rights provide you with exclusive rights. You have the opportunity to sell, promote or develop your product while limiting competition from other businesses or individuals for set periods. However, IP rights are restricted in both their duration and scope. This is to balance the incentives to innovate with the need for competition. Each IP right has its own restriction. For instance, standard patents last for 20 years and designs for 10 years. Renewal fees must be paid to ensure patents and designs remain in force for these periods. Trademarks can remain in force indefinitely provided renewal fees are paid every 10 years. Patents, trademarks, designs and plant breeder’s rights are designed for different products and are applied in various ways. They require applicants to complete differing compliance criteria.
Do your homework - and act early
You should familiarise yourself with the different rights before you apply. Applying for the wrong protection can be costly. Protecting your IP early is important when establishing your product or service in the market. It can be the difference between success and failure.
Value of IP
IP rights provide a number of competitive advantages. They can be an extremely valuable bargaining tool and, in most cases, can be sold for financial gain. IP rights may help you or your business
You should familiarise yourself with the different rights before you apply. Applying for the wrong protection can be costly. compete using the reputation associated with a product and innovation rather than on price alone. They give you the right to determine who can use your IP and how it can be used. IP rights differ from physical assets because they can be used many times without diminishing. For example, the same IP can be licensed to a number of different licensees, each based on a specified geographic region. IP laws reduce the chances of your products and/or services being replicated and passed off as those of a rival trader, and can open up new opportunities. For these reasons, IP rights can become valuable assets.
Responsibilities
When buying into a business, you are responsible for ensuring that the IP rights are included. An example that highlights the importance of this point is Volkswagen's takeover of RollsRoyce Motor Cars. Volkswagen wrongly assumed that if it purchased Rolls-Royce, all the IP rights to the brand would also be included. This was despite the directors of
100% proof fermenting! In the December 2022 and March 2023 editions we featured a two-part article by Owen and Dianne Carington-Smith on how they achieved a viable, award-winning table olive business from just 76 trees. Here’s an addendum to the article, sharing a great idea for a processing/bottling facility for financiallyconstrained small operators. “This photo shows the 40 ft container set up where we ran the processing and packaging operations for Bruny Island Olives. “The container was fully fitted out to our specifications by Royal Wolf Shipping Containers at a cost far less than building a processing shed. “We could hold all of our fermenting barrels and also undertake bottling within the container. “An important feature is that these containers are dust, rodent and light proof, providing the idea environment for the production of high-quality table olives. “The container needs to be painted white to avoid barrel temperatures getting too high, however, or indeed overheating operators during bottling! “Depending on location, ceiling insulation may also be required, and possibly on the northern side of the container. “This can be done during fitting out.” Owen and Dianne Carington-Smith 48 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
Rolls-Royce clearly stating that BMW was the preferred custodian of the Rolls-Royce brand name. The situation led to a long, expensive and bitter legal battle before the European Commission, in which Volkswagen questioned Rolls-Royce’s moral right to control the brand name.
Multiple protections
A range of IP rights can be used to protect different aspects of the same product or service. A product can have patents applying to how it works, a registered trademark protecting its brand name and a design for its appearance. These layers of protection can be used in complementary ways. For example, when innovator Katherine Drayton came up with an idea for an ergonomic beach chair, she didn’t just take out one IP right to protect her idea. She took out design rights, a patent and a trademark. Each served a different purpose for her product. The more IP rights that can be used to protect a particular product or service, the more resistant your product or service will be to imitation and competition. This information is sourced from the IP Australia website - www.ipaustralia.gov. au, licensed from the Commonwealth of Australia under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence - www. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 .
Products and services
Harvesting digital success: the new website solution helping olive growers thrive online Are you the proud owner of a new business, eager to showcase your delicious products to the world? Or perhaps you're burdened with a tired, old website that's glitchy and failing to represent your brand effectively? Look no further than Website in One Week, the new web development tool that’s helping Australian small businesses get online in no time! Website in One Week unpacked
We sat down with Lauren Hamilton, owner of Digital Narrative and creator of Website in One Week, to learn how this innovative program can help olive growers create their dream website. OG&P: Tell us how your new product makes it easier for olive growers to create a captivating online presence. Lauren Hamilton: Certainly. Website in One Week breaks the web-building process down into two parts. Firstly, a unique, stepby-step online program guides customers through sourcing and supplying all of the ingredients we need to build their site - the images, words and so on - and captures a clear picture of what they want. Then once the modules have been completed, our team gets started and builds their beautiful website in seven days. OG&P: That sounds impressive. Cost is often a concern for businesses when it comes to website creation. How does Website in One Week address this? Lauren: Affordability is a key principle of Website in One Week. We offer an allinclusive package which is payable in two instalments, with no hidden extras. Olive growers can confidently invest in our program knowing that they’re getting a professional website without breaking the bank. OG&P: That's great to hear, Lauren. How does Website in One Week ensure such a fast turnaround? Lauren: As a small business owner, we understand the importance of seizing
opportunities. Website in One Week makes it possible for businesses to get online fast because of our two-step process and smart online platform, which ensures we have what we need to build the site smoothly before we begin. So, it minimises the usual ‘back-andforth’ during the build phase which typically slows things down. OG&P: And a week is impressive speed indeed! Let's talk about the end result. How can olive growers know they’re investing in a visually appealing, fully functional website? Lauren: We build all of our websites using Squarespace, a tool known for its security, attractive designs and editing ease. This means you’re not just buying a stunning, modern, fast and secure site, but also one
which can easily be updated or edited later. We’ve delivered dozens of similar sites for businesses over the past decade and are yet to have an unhappy customer!
Olivegrower discount
Olivegrower readers can now take advantage of this hassle-free and efficient solution to establish a captivating online presence with a special discount. Use code olivebiz23 to save 10% on all Website in One Week purchases for the rest of 2023. More information: www.digitalnarrative. com.au/website-in-one-week or email Lauren at lauren@digitalnarrative.com.au.
Issue 128 • June 2023 • Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • 49
your calendar of olive events
What’s on
2023 Jun
1 June Entries open, Australian International Olive Awards - Adelaide, SA www.internationaloliveawards.com.au
4 September Entries close, 2023 WA Olive Awards www.oliveswa.com.au
Oct
1 July Entries open, 2023 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards - Adelaide, SA www.olivessouthaustralia.org.au
Jul
26 July Entries close, 2023 Royal Adelaide Olive Awards - Adelaide, SA www.olivessouthaustralia.org.au
12 October Awards night, Hunter Valley Olive Show - Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au
17 July Entries open, Hunter Valley Olive Show Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au
21 October Awards Night, 2023 WA Olive Awards www.oliveswa.com.au 26-27 October AOA National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition Canberra, ACT www.nationaloliveconference.com.au
23-26 July Thinkfood Live - Melbourne, VIC www.foodproexh.com/thinkfood-live
Aug Sep
9 October Medals announced (email), Australian International Olive Awards www.internationaloliveawards.com.au
14 August Entries open, 2023 WA Olive Awards www.oliveswa.com.au
27 October Awards dinner/Trophy presentation, Australian International Olive Awards Canberra, ACT www.internationaloliveawards.com.au
1 September Entries close, Australian International Olive Awards - Adelaide, SA www.internationaloliveawards.com.au 1 September Entries close, Hunter Valley Olive Show Hunter Valley, NSW www.hunterolives.asn.au
Get breaking news on local achievements delivered FREE to your inbox: Register for Friday Olive Extracts at www.olivebiz.com.au
Advertiser index Client
Braud Australia Eclipse Enterprises Modern Olives Laboratory NSW DPI AgEnviro Labs Bayer Crop Science
50
Page
2 5 7 9 11
Client
Olive Oil Packaging Services Digital Narrative Australian Olive Association SICMA
Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Processor • June 2023 • Issue 128
Page
15 15 19, 45, 51 52
efit
en Member B
e $100 Conferenc 1.................. x n io t a r t 22 Regis ................ $ 1 x r e n in AIOA D 50 x1 .......... $1 e e F y r t n AIOA E
Membership it makes
Member $ discount
OG & P ....... $4 n x4 .......... io t ip r c s b Su .. $60 Olivebiz .................... 1 x s d e ifi s Clas
DOLLARS and SENSE!
$336 embership Annual m 5 er = $22 s 5 ha grow t discount n e v e g in o Plus ong
**El Cultivo Del Olivo Book on joining $165 RRP
So 1st year membership benefit = $494 Peak Industry Body – Advocacy and Representation – Your voice to Government ✓ Australian Standard
for Olive oil and olive pomace oil AS 5264-2011
✓ Australian
International Olive Awards
OliveCare
The
Olive Awards
®
www.internationaloliveawardsaustralia .com .au
✓ AOA National Awareness & Education Campaigns – Everyday, Fresher Tastes Better!
✓ Biosecurity
management
✓ Grower field days
✓ AOA Facebook page ✓ Tastebook program
✓ Industry AU STRAL IAN I N T E R N AT I O N A L
✓ Consumer
and reporting and seminars
✓ Code of Practice
®
✓ Market surveillance
Industry Conference & Exhibition
✓ Point of sale
marketing merchandise
✓ PHA Biosecurity Levy
communications – Olivegrower & Processor, Friday Olive Extracts, Olivebiz
✓ Registered pesticide minor use permits holder for industry
✓ Geographical AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND
& NATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE OLIVE INDUSTRY
Indication representation
✓ Codex representation ✓ Industry Risk and
Crisis Management
The Australian Olive Association is the prescribed industry body representing all olive growers, certified importers and service providers in Australia since 1995. JOIN TODAY and take advantage of the many member benefits and services. Email Liz at secretariat@australianolives.com.au