2026 AOA Olive Industry Think Tanks (Dates & Locations TBC)
Peer-to-peer, problem-solving workshops packed with practical business information, bookended by networking opportunities with your industry peers.
The best insights often come from fellow growers who have already navigated the exact challenges you are facing. Whether you are a seasoned industry veteran or a relative newcomer, these Think Tanks are designed for us to share knowledge, tackle collective hurdles, and walk away with practical, actionable ideas.
When & Where
We know your time is valuable. These interactive sessions are compressed into a long half-day format starting at 12:00 PM.
- Locations: NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, and WA.
- Timeframe: Early-Mid November 2026
Cost
- $88 AOA members/levy payers
- $110 General ticket
Draft Program
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Light Lunch & Networking Kick-off
Arrive at noon to catch up with other local growers, meet new faces, and bounce ideas around over a light lunch before we dive into the sessions.
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Interactive Think Tanks
- State of the Industry & Future Mapping: We will kick off with a brief overview from AOA CEO Michael Southan on the current industry landscape, using the future of traditional and alternative fuels as a case study for how we can collectively identify looming problems and build proactive solutions. The overview will also include a short introduction to your state AOA Director.
- Topics for discussion:
- Bottling, Labelling, and Quality: Best Before Dates (BBD), bottling on demand, and insights drawn from the latest quality testing program results.
- Olive Levy Roadmap & SIAP: Your opportunity to voice grower needs and pitch direct suggestions for upcoming R&D projects.
- The Annual Olive Harvest Survey (Benchmarking): Why a simple 10-minute post-harvest survey matters, and the benefit for your business.
- Additional state-level issues identified in the grower survey (see below)
- Open Floor Discussion: Share/Raise your specific grower issues and brainstorm collective solutions with the room.
- Sponsor Presentations: The program will also feature valuable sponsor presentations showcasing the latest tools and innovations designed to maximize your grove’s efficiency.
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Drinks, Nibbles & Wrap-Up
Wind down with a dedicated networking hour. Grab a drink, enjoy some nibbles, and continue the day’s conversations with your local olive community.
AIOA Winner Photo Opportunity!
Since we won’t be hosting our traditional Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) dinner this year, we are bringing the celebration to the Think Tanks! If you win a 2026 medal or trophy, bring your award along with you for an official AIOA presentation photo with CEO Michael Southan and the AIOA banner. This is a fantastic chance to secure high-quality promotional images for your website, social media, and local press while celebrating your hard work alongside your industry peers.
Shape Your Local Think Tank: Pre-Event Grower Survey
Your voice drives the agenda.
As highlighted in our interactive schedule, a core focus of the afternoon will be tackling the specific state-level challenges and agronomic barriers impacting your groves right now. Rather than generic talking points -we want to address the real-world environmental, operational, and pest pressures unique to your region.
Please take 5 minutes to complete this pre-event 5 question survey and help guide our open floor discussions.
Click Here to Take the 2026 Grower Survey
PLATINUM SPONSOR
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R&D EVENT SPONSOR
These events are 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.