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This year’s Tocal Field Days event will be held from Friday 4–Sunday 6 May, at the Tocal Agricultural Centre, Tocal NSW. The Tocal Field Days are held every year in the first weekend in May, with exhibitors featuring the latest in farming techniques and technologies from solar energy to fencing construction. There are also demonstrations, a range of entertainment including piglet races and the Grand Parade, and great food and wine. Tocal is 14km from Maitland and a free shuttle bus will operate from Maitland Railway station on the hour from 9am each day. More information https://www.tocalfielddays.com
Read MoreAll the industry information you need to know is out now in the 2012 edition of the Olive Industry Directory. This vital annual reference book for the olive industry also includes: updated olivegrower and processor listings, supplier listings, Buyers’ Guide – one-stop supply shop, organisations, calendar of 2012 events, 2011 statistics and 2011 industry overview. To order call +618 8369 9555, email [email protected] or visit www.olivegrower.com.au.
Read MoreOlives New Zealand is conducting a training course survey. To provide feedback on what type of courses, where, when and duration, click here
Read MoreThe term ‘antioxidant’ should be banished from food labels and replaced with more specific claims about the health benefits of the phytonutrients and other ingredients in question, according to one leading academic.
Read MoreThe EU Farm Commissioner has launched a plan to rescue the European olive industry from low prices and increasing costs. It’s a move welcomed by the Olive Oil Working Party of Europe, which says the market is in serious crisis, because prices have dropped to 50% below their level 10 years ago. In a situation that mirrors Australia, farmers say they’re up against ‘the buying power of a handful of supermarkets’.
Read MoreCalifornian table olive distributors still have seven million cans in storage despite another disappointing crop in 2011, the head of a state marketing group said. Growers in California ended up with just under 27,000 tons from last year’s harvest, noted Alexander Ott, executive director of the California Olive Committee. That’s a mere drop in the bucket compared to the record 195,000 tons harvested in 2010.
Still, inventories grew from the 5.3 million cans on hand after last season, which is causing the committee to ramp up its marketing programs. The panel is using Twitter and Facebook and attending blogger conferences to younger consumers who aren’t as aware of California olives, even though they’ve long been grown in the state.
Spanish company Genosa has announced that its olive extract Hytolive has received GRAS status following a review by panel of independent experts.
Read MoreSpanish food giant Deoleo – owner of olive oil brands Carbonell, Bertolli, Carapelli, Koipe and Sasso – is back in the black and planning to double its size via growth in emerging markets. After what it described as “a period of instability, profound change and restructuring,” the Madrid-based world leader in olive oil trade booked a net profit of €1.1m for 2011 after a €56.5m loss the year before.
Read MoreDespite budget cuts and the current poor financial climate, Spanish olive oil production in the Baena region of Córdoba has reached record-breaking levels with its last harvest. The Denomination of Origin Baena reported collection of 270 million kilograms of olives and over 57 million kilos of oil, which represents a record harvest for the quality label.
Read MoreJohn Priestley and Hamish Mackay are once again conducting biodynamic workshops in Western Australia, running from 28 April to 14 May. Topics vary and venues include Perth, Cowaramup, Mt Barker, Denmark, Narembeen and Chittering Valley. They will also be in Donnybrook with Brett Kirkpatrick for a two-day biodynamic preparation making workshop on May 12-13.
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