Industry News
To search by topic, use the 'News by category' filter. To search by month and year, use the 'News by month' filter.
Nominations are also open for three major awards celebrating innovation in organic and sustainable industries. Organics Tasmania, the state’s organic industry representative body, is celebrating the Year of the Farmer with an Organic Industry Innovation Award. The award aims to give recognition to certified organic businesses, to promote the organic farming, processing and retailing industry and to champion the farming community. Applications close 30 June 2012. More information and nominations to Graeme Stevenson – [email protected] or phone 03 6435 1319.
Read MoreFurther north, applications are open for the 2012 Ivy Inwood Industry Award, sponsored by Safe Food Queensland. This year there are two awards on offer and the criteria has changed.
The Ivy Inwood Industry Award goes to someone with a great idea that will benefit the agricultural industry, is committed to promoting innovative and sustainable approaches to their respective field and is willing to build their network with other industry professionals. The winning recipient will receive $10,000.
The Young Rural Achiever supports students keen to further their careers in the agricultural industry, with the winner receiving financial assistance of $7500. Nominations close 8 June 2012. More information here
Entries are now open for the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards (RMFFA). Conducted annually by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, the RMFFA present a unique opportunity for all food producers and manufacturers, from commercial giants to small boutique food growers and specialists, to benchmark their products and use RMFFA medal artwork as a seal of quality. A key event in the Australian culinary calendar, the competition has nine categories including Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flavoured Oil and Table Olives. Entries close on August 3, with judging on 23-25 August. Download the entry booklet https://www.rasv.com.au/Events/RMFF_Home/RMFF_Entries/RMFF_Publications/ .For further information visit www.rasv.com.au or contact Ross Karavis – (03) 9281 7435; [email protected].
Read MoreTraining organisation Smith & Georg are running a series of Chemical Accreditation courses from May through November 2012. Completion of the course allows the purchase and use of Schedule 7 chemicals. Duration is one day for accreditation and half-day for re-accreditation, with receipt of the Chemical Accreditation Card within two weeks of completion. The course can also be completed online via the Home Study option. For a list of courses and to register, visit www.smithandgeorg.com.au, or call Smith & Georg on (08) 8389 1856.
Read MoreThe olive tree is a symbol of abundance, glory and peace. So it’s appropriate that students at Garden to Table Schools will soon be using a premium New Zealand olive oil to create nutritious vegetable dishes in their kitchen classrooms. The Garden to Table program is a curriculum-integrated initiative that helps children understand what ‘good’ food is and where it comes from. The Village Press olive oil company has come on board as a sponsor for the Garden to Table Trust and will be supplying each school with 20 litres of olive oil every year.
Read MoreFollowing the success of the Olives New Zealand Conference 2012, the 2013 will once again be held at the Auckland Airport Sudima Hotel. The date will be Saturday, 16 March, followed by a National Field Day on the Sunday at Simunovich Olive Estate. The Executive has decided to stay with Auckland for Conference 2013 due to easy access for flights within New Zealand and from Australia, and good deals on flights from most centres. The location, etc will be reviewed again for 2014 based on attendee feedback.
Read MoreNZ Plant and Food Research and Massey University have developed a spreadsheet model for determining olive maturity. The decision of when to harvest is particularly challenging at the best of times, let alone in a year when the weather has affected flowering, fruit set, susceptibility to anthracnose etc, so this is a great aid for growers. The spreadsheets were emailed out to all members but are also available on the Olives NZ website https://www.olivesnz.org.nz/members-news/grower-manual/maturity-indicator-model-when-to-harvest/
Read MoreA new report on a huge potential to sell olive oil to China also comes with a warning – opportunists there are already cashing in by selling adulterated oil. According to The Olive Oil Market in China 2012 from the Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX), “this malpractice risks tainting the Chinese consumer perception that olive oil is a high quality product.”
Read MoreUS Senator Charles E. Schumer has called on the US Department of Agriculture to reject plans to change the standards for olive oil in the United States, a move that could have devastating consequences for Sovena and its 200 employees in Rome (USA), he said. Schumer is urging government officials to disregard a “costly and ineffective” proposed marketing order that would change the standard definitions, testing methodology and labeling guidelines for domestically sold olive oils.
Read MoreA province in southern Italy has dedicated a 1,400-year-old olive tree known as “The Queen” to US First Lady Michelle Obama because of her commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles. Lecce province in the farming region of Apulia said that the roughly 100 litres of extra-virgin olive oil made from the fruits of the giant tree would be sent to the White House every year starting this fall. The initiative is being supported by local farmers including the “Sant’Anna Cooperative,” which manages the 1,500 hectares where the tree is located.
Read More