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Summary of Key Issues from the Minutes of the ONZ Executive Teleconference held on 29 August 2006 at 7.45.
Present: Mike Amour, Margaret Edwards, Ian Manson, Alastair Bridge, David Pearson, Ed Scott, Anne Opie
1 Apologies. Tony Casey and Ron Dean.
2. Minutes of previous meeting.
Minor changes were made to 2 sections of the minutes. Note that Pressing Engagements pressing produced approximately 300L, not 3000L as reported.
3.Executive officer’s report. Key points focused on the number of conference registrations and certification with many new labels applying for certification. The EO commented that a very substantial increase in certification work could be expected over the next 20 years, and careful consideration must be given to how this will be handled.
4. Financial. Account balances were:
00 $52,693.00
01 $19, 176.00. Some of this funding is earmarked for the website development
Conference fund: $10,055.00
There was approximately $40K at the beginning of the financial year and a good flow of renewed subscriptions.
The ED asked that the accounts and next year’s budget be included in the conference packs, and this motion was carried.
5. Website. A new provider has been asked to do the work. The discussion about the website focused on information to be obtained and who was to do the work. It was hoped that the revised site would go live on 1 October.
6 Technical.
Certification. There has been a significant problem caused by members leaving applying for certification to the last minute, in the context of a considerable increase in the numbers applying for certification and also entering their oils into the NZ Awards. Members have also been approaching Hort Research for information, although specifically asked not to do so.
It was agreed to extend slightly the closing date for entries for the awards.
It was agreed that the procedures will need to be reviewed next year.
Linolenic acid testing. The technical officer reported on a telephone meeting with the Australians and FSANZ. It had looked as though there was no problem with linolenic levels but an analysis of the stats has indicated that the results are not so good in relation to single varietals. This means that there may be a question as to whether major exporters should be focusing on singles or blending. Only 1 NZ oil, which has readings of 0.9, came near the 10.0 limit – oils from other groves had readings of 0.5 and 0.6. In relation to other parameters, and in respect of koroneiki oils, only one grove was below the limit, but only one test was done and there are questions of experimental error.
No special problems have been identified in relation to barnea and linolenic levels.
7. Approved Supplier Programme. The ONZ exec. will need a new GAP champion as the current person is resigning from the Exec.
8. Marketing. One of ONZ’s proposed marketing strategies focuses on the health benefits of EVOO but in fact it will take some years before proposed NZ research will be completed and its findings published.
It was noted that although a number of the Exec. members have assumed that any levy would be spent on a generic marketing strategy, this was a decision to be made by the membership.
9 & 10. Communications and Summit Conference.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship deals are:
Norwood – spread over two years: $10,000.00
Rick Holmes $1000.00
The President confirmed the dates by which members of the Exec. were to get their reports to him. There was a discussion on the need to find a new angle in relation to approaching the media about ONZ and the awards
The communication person reported back on the work of the conference sub-committee.
11. Executive remits.
There was considerable discussion about possible draft remits.
(1) The Exec. decided it was too early to put forward a remit relating to the introduction of a levy. It was agreed that members should be sent a paper prepared by one Exec. member setting out reasons for a levy
(2) There was a discussion about a remit on voting rights of co-opted members, with the Exec. voting on and passing the motion (in relation to Clause 31.2 of the Constitution) that the Exec. “should be able to allocate voting rights to co-opted members at the discretion of the Executive.”
12. Other business.
1. The research on residue testing had not been able to proceed because of cost factors but the president is continuing to explore how this work might go ahead.
2. The FoRST bid had not gone ahead because FoRST had made a last minute change in the rules, but the project will be re-submitted. ONZ faces the problem of not being a very attractive research partner because we cannot match finances. Consequently, research institutions are less likely to give ONZ prominence in their portfolios of work.
3. Processors’ course. The EO has approached a possible sponsor to host the course. There are still some outstanding issues to be resolved.
4. Change of Executive Officer’s title. Pending a review of the Constitution to see that the Executive can make this change, the Exec. voted and passed the motion that the title be changed to “Executive Manager” as this is more in keeping with professional titles in other parallel organisations and better described the role.
5. The EO was also asked review the Constitution about this issue and about whether the name of the Executive could be changed to “Board,” identify associated issues, and report back at the next meeting.
13. Date of next meeting. 26 Sept. at 7.45.(However, this meeting was cancelled as the President could not attend)
The meeting closed at 10 pm.
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