Summary of the Executive Minutes

Executive Meeting

Saturday 27^th March 2010

Sudima Hotel, CHRISTCHURCH

Meeting Opened 9:00AM

Apologies

1. Steve Clark, Judy Rae, Rob Dean.
2. Apologies for lateness Roger Armstrong, David Walshaw, Roger Woolhouse, Ross Legh

Attendees

Executive

3. Andrew Taylor, John Arthur, Graham Keen, Ross Legh, Chris Moore,

Regional Chairs

4. Ian Juno, Roger Armstrong, Bob Marshall, Roger Woolhouse, .Mark Bond,

New Regional Chair

5. Andrew welcomed Mark Bond as the new Regional Chair for Northland.

Matters Arising from Minutes of previous meeting

6. One amendment. Paragraph 72 needs to be changed.

ONZ accredited oil will need to come from registered processing facility. As an industry initiative by 2011 will need the processing facilities to have a Food Safety Plan. Pre-empting New Zealand Government regulations 2013.

7. Fees paid to Hort NZ – The Chair has spoken to Hort NZ on this subject re a holiday from payment for this year.  Hort NZ understands the situation but have to take this to their Board of Directors.
8. Minutes – noted that future minutes can be reviewed and corrected by email before publishing to the Web Site so they are distributed in a timely manner to members.

Action Points

8. 1. President to provide a copy of the letter to the Treasurer..
   2. Hort NZ network capability to be used in the future
   3. Executive to grow communications with Hort NZ through Annual Conference, Regional Field Days and connection at the local level with the Hort NZ infrastructure
   4. Executive Officer to check with V Brian Milne for missing minutes in the last 12 months

Moved: John Arthur

Seconded: Chris Moore

Incoming Correspondence

Nil

Out Going Correspondence

Nil

Financial Report & Update

9. Graham tabled Budget (Actuals and Estimates) as at 28 February 2010
10. Noted that the budget is $8,500 better off than estimated in January; Olive Grower and Processor has not been paid.
11. Not all expense for the meetings are in.

Action Points

11. 1. Executive to conduct a Line by Line review each 6 months as per the last meeting.

Conference & AGM 2010

12. Confirmed date set for weekend October 8^th & 9th
13. Content. Technical flavour.
14. Ian briefed meeting on draft content for the Conference.
15. Starts Friday morning with Regional Chairs meeting and then Friday afternoon with a visit to Matapiro with demonstrations of equipment, SFF presentation.
16. Possible mix and mingle on the Friday night.
17. Saturday follows a 3 x stand concept with buses moving attendees around the venues with a lunch at a central point during the day.
18. AGM is the last item of the day followed by the conference dinner and awards that night complete with extensive media coverage.

Action Plan

18. 1. Ian to work on overall plan/timetable for conference AGM by end of April
    2. EO to put together budget for conference on receipt; including early bird registrations.
    3. All to encourage sponsorship.

Processors Course 2010

19. Based on the Budget John advised that the minimum number for the course 17/18 April is 20 with a maximum of 30.
20. Theme is Olives to Oil.
21. Reducing the course from 2 to 3 days had reduced the cost.
22. Cut-off for nominations is April 7 with a decision go/no go.
23. Noted that there were 15 people interested from around the regions.
24. Course content has broadened so it is not just for processors but also growers.
25. Noted commitments had been made for Marie Wong and David Shovel.

EO Report

26. Andrew provided an update on the activities undertaken by the EO in the last month; changing bank accounts, Vodafone wireless, collection of equipment, registration process, membership, and issues.

Phenolic Research

27. John advised that he another Olives NZ member had personally decided to fund Phenolic Research by a Massey University PhD Student, at the Albany Campus.  Ownership of the results would rest with them for 2 years after the research was complete before they could be made public.

Action Points

27. 1. John to send a letter to ONZ advising of their intent and that the research information would be made available to ONZ after 2 years.

Target – Assessment of Olive Oils Programme

28. This item was discussed.
29. It is available through TV3 On –Demand for those who did not see it.
30. Noted it was blind tasting of 4 Supermarket oils.
31. The panel iterated that they were all rancid and stored in clear bottles

Food Safety

32. Discussion over audit fees being charged by Assure Quality.
33. $1,000 plus $150 travel time.
34. ONZ to liaise with Assure Quality to temper costs; e.g. audit one region to reduce costs to all.
35. Nelson have developed their own templates.
36. ONZ have paid and own the copyright to the templates developed by David Shovel.
37. Individuals after purchase can adapt these for their own use.
38. Any consultant can be used, David Shovel only one of those who can be used.
39. Discussed ONZ tendering next 12 months for people to consult.
40. Will be a requirement from 2011 onwards.
41. Template is a income source for ONZ and this needs to drive the programme.
42. Look at using Hort NZ connections.
43. 2011 programme it needs to be up and running as law by 2013.

Action Points

43. 1. Promote via Newsletter.
    2. Promote use of spray programmes.
    3. Roger Armstrong and John Arthur to look at how to achieve economies of scale and also as an income stream

Promotional Pamphlet and Pest & Diseases Book

44. Olive Pests and Diseases book is out of date and there is a quantity in stock.- discount costs (was $10 each) or give away at field days or conference.
45. Promo pamphlet, agreed needs to be updated with room for recipes, table olives, audit etc.

Action Points

45. 1. Pests and Diseases Book - Look at reproducing and bring up to date and re-sell in the future.
    2. EO to investigate a revamp of the pamphlet and a price to re-print.
    3. Regional Chairs to promote availability of both.

Certification Paper

46. Ross Legh tabled a new proposal.  Requirement for producer to provide EO with declaration and analysis report with their oil.
47. Not certified – producer must provide approval for the sensory panel leader to initiate dialog as to what the fault/cause was.
48. 50 ml brown bottles – EO to be advised of numbers.
49. Costs to be bottom up.  Currently $123 for first oil.
50. Discussed and agreed that blended oils can be from certified oils; with no requirement to certify the blend.  Means rules will need amendment.  Traceability of the oil is a requirement along with needs of Food Safety Plan.
51. Certification applies for 2 years from its date.
52. Proposed that in the future there needs to be a process to re-certify old oil; and what test is required to enable this.

Action Points

52. 1. Regions to advise EO of likely requirements for 50 ml bottles.
    2. Ross to amend certification documents; licence agreement auits of Food Safety Plan, and ability to blend.
    3. Agreed to publish to the web after circulation for approval by the Exec by the EO.
    4. Ross and Andrew to meet Declan at Assure Quality re costs etc.
    5. Price of certifying oils to be bottom up – cost plus profit margin (20%).

Red Dot/Seal

53. Proposed red wax seal without the string liked by all.
54. Noted that bright red is a food safety warning colour.
55. Look at a slightly brighter red plus variations on a green/lime green theme
56. Produce a sample run of each and have consumer testing.

Action Points

56. 1. Ian Juno to obtain colour variations and circulate to members and Regional Chairs.
    2. Chris Moore to conduct Consumer testing with sample run of various seal colours.
    3. Any seal eventually agreed on to be Trade Mark Registered by ONZ.

Sponsorship

57. Chris: outlined levels; Principal (3 years), Gold (2 Years), Silver (1 Year), General (internet advert etc.).
58. .Principal sponsor to have exclusive event naming of the conference, Processors Course, display logo on all ONZ Correspondence/Web, includes a web advertisement, links to their web sites, and access to membership data, for approx $20-$25K.
59. Following potential sponsors identified:

a.         Alfa Lavelle,

b.        OMT,

c.         Peralsi,

d.        Norwood’s

e.         PGG Wrightson,

f.         Farmlands/Skeltons

g.        Allendale Products

h.         Arthur Holmes

i.          Mantissa,

j.          Hydra Ladder,

k.         Endeavour Glass,

l.          Carters and Associates,

m.       John Deer

n.         Horti Centre (Northland), and

o.        Waimea Olives

Commodity Levy

60. John Arthur spoke to the paper he had circulated on the levy proposal.  This covered the why, what to collect, what the levy is to be used for, and how to implement it.
61. Past history dwelt on what it was to be spent on, concern over oil yields in marginal areas, reduction of subscriptions, and exclusion of table olives.
62. Proposal now covers:

a.           Need to start the process now,

b.           Need for consultative meetings,

c.           Identification of groves,

d.           Requirement for a 50% vote of all growers and producers,

e.           How to collect and where to collect the levy,

f.            Implementation by 2013.

63. Discussed what members get for their subs, what it does not cover, and areas of soft funding
64. Noted 4 approaches to collection; by number of trees, litres after processing, kg after processing, kg received for processing
65. Agreed must be clear that the levy is NOT retained by Olives NZ.
66. Need to determine the basics of what the levy is to fund; research (that will benefit member), promotion, bench marking production good/poor performance.
67. Need for ONZ to promote what it has already got.  Grower view of what are their priorities, what is missing.
68. Use forum/feedback on the website.
69. Red Seal/dot – how do we promote, marketing the levy, development of it as a brand.
70. Promotion Sub Committee form – lead David Walshaw, Mark Bond, John Arthur, Graeme Harris (Kapiti) and regions with members with similar skills.

Membership

71. Action Point: Lesley to advise list of members to eligible for the Olive Grower and Processor, plus Hort News and Orchardist..

Regional Chris Feed Back

72. Northland – Meeting welcomed Mark Bond who is looking forward to growing the organisation.  Looking at Incorporating the Branch.  Noted Branch will require seed funds from ONZ for expenses.
73. Auckland – Rob Dean advised that the Branch is all but defunct.  Andrew advised Branch may continue when Rod stands down. Capitation for 2009 still not banked.
74. Waiheke – This group outside the ONZ umbrella.  Judy Rae represents the growers.  Need to encourage them to become ONZ Members and forma Branch. 
75. Marlborough – Would like to see Supreme Award used for Commercial gain.  As a result Exec discussed raising threshold to be eligible for the Supreme Award to 250 litres available for sale, and increase to 500l in 2011.  Also discussed raising threshold to enter awards from 50 to 100 litres.

Action Points

75. 1. Exec Officer to liaise with Northland process and need to incorporate the Branch.
    2. Lesley to initiate Waiheke Branch formulation.
    3. Amend thresholds t for entry to Awards to 100 litres, and threshold for eligibility for Supreme Award/Best in Show to 25o litres of oil for sale.

Next Meeting

76. Next Meeting TBA
77. Look at using either teleconference or preferably SKYPE.

Meeting Closed

3.35 pm