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Volume 11 - February 2010
CONTENTS
President's Comments
It gives me great pleasure to be able to announce the appointment of Mrs Lesley Wilson to the position of Executive Officer for Olives New Zealand. There were four people interviewed for the position, all of excellent standard and each with a slightly different set of capabilities. We believe Lesley will bring strong administration skills with additional experience in journalism, web development and event organisation. Lesley will be a great asset to Olives New Zealand and the Executive look forward to working with her. Lesley’s contact details remain admin@olivesnewzealand.org.nz
We held our first executive meeting for the 2010 year on the 20th of February. The meeting was the first chance we had as an Executive to bring together each of the delegated items from our last meeting in December 2009 and consider a review of progress made to date.
We have chosen to complete major reviews of most of these items. We have taken this approach for many reasons but the two main reasons are because of feedback from members and a willingness to try new approaches. This will bring some new ways of doing things and some new areas of focus during 2010.
By way of example, the Processors Course will be renamed "Olives to Oil". It is our intention that the course will be attended by growers and processors. We all need up-skilling in the production of our product and an appreciation for the "other side" of the process can only be helpful in increasing confidence, efficiencies and relationships. This year we will be running the course from within the skill base available to us in New Zealand. The main reason for this focus is not an attempt by us to save costs (although that is prudent) but rather that we recognise there are various members within ONZ who have great experience in dealing with local conditions. If you have specific needs or expectations for this course please contact Lesley Wilson in the first instance. More details about the course will be posted on the web site in due course.
We would also like to start a discussion group for operators of processing plants up to 500kg an hour. This will include opportunities to meet at different locations and consider different installations/operations and an interactive discussion page on the website. It is not intended that this discussion group replaces the Olives to Oil course. It is intended to provide additional avenues for communication, particularly during the processing season. Growers will have to register for this discussion group and can do so through Lesley Wilson.
The Executive have agreed to a review of our Constitution being undertaken. This process will require precision and an ability to think laterally along with understanding the implications of each part of the rules. During the review process we will be asking for feedback from growers and using the vast array of skills from within the industry. It is not intended that we should be involved in a drawn-out process, however the review needs to be extremely thorough and well thought out, therefore I am not going to attempt to put a time frame on the review process. I believe we need a constitution that enables us to work effectively through the changes of the next three to five years; a constitution that connects each part of our industry accurately and empowers people while allocating accountability. We will provide an opportunity in the near future for you to make submissions on the constitution or just simply provide comment as you choose.
Our thanks to our outgoing Executive Officer, Bruce Robertson, for his assistance since the AGM until the appointment of Lesley Wilson. We wish him well in the future.
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New Executive Officer
Lesley Wilson
Ph: +64 (0)6 8771 447
Mob: +64 (0)21 898 795
Fax: +64 (0)6 8443 166
email: admin@olivesnz.org.nz
PO Box 7464, Taradale 4141
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
 I have been living in the beautiful Dartmoor Valley growing apples for over 20 years. During this time my husband Des managed the blocks while I worked with various with companies helping them get their ‘stuff’ done.
In 2003 I set up Talk Limited, Talk’s motto is ‘turning ideas into action’. Talk has project managed the New Zealand Apples to Australia campaign, set-up New Zealand’s first Horticultural Trade Expo ‘ICE’ and helped many other businesses, organisations and people achieve their goals. During this time I also established myself as a freelance writer and have been published in all the major horticultural and agricultural magazines and newspapers, and more recently I have been published in North and South and Unlimited Magazine.
For fun I enjoy 4x4ing, I spend a lot of time with the HB Rowing Club supporting my children and I read.
I am excited about working with the Olive Industry, there are many keen and enthusiastic people who believe in their product and I look forward to meeting you all.
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New Executive Members
At the AGM in October 2009 a new President, a new Vice President, two new Executive members and two new Regional Representatives were elected. While they may be known to many of our members, particularly intheir own regions, it seems appropriate to introduce them to the wider membership.
President - Andrew Taylor
 On a personal note, I have grown horticultural crops such as avocados, kiwifruit, pipfruit and summerfruit for nearly 30 years. In the last 10 years I have provided horticultural advice, harvesting and pruning contract services to the olive industry and now work full time with olives in much of the North Island. I live on a 53 ha organic property just outside of Napier with my wife and two children where we grow olives, apples and graze stock.
I believe a strong Olives New Zealand organisation can provide a platform to enable technical transfer, benchmarking of performance and cohesion on all matters to do with the production of olive products in New Zealand. An additional parameter that I believe is necessary is that Olives New Zealand should drive the promotion of the quality and the virtues of our products.
Vice President - John Arthur
 After careers in accountancy and business, most recently in retail, I retired at an early age.
Realizing that the grove I was developing in Taranaki would not be a commercial enterprise I came across and acquired " Matapiro ". The grove consists of 72 hectares ( 6 of which are owned by a third party ) is home to 17,500 olive trees which will be increased to about 20,000 during the 2009 and 2010 planting seasons. The grove will produce up to 100,000 litres of EVOO per annum at full production.
Our aims at Matapiro are to be significant Brand owners in the New Zealand supermarket, specialty stores and hospitality markets together with exporting, whilst maintaining the quality standards as set down by Olives New Zealand. We will continue to ensure that our EVOO's are subject to the awards processes of ONZ, where to date Matapiro has received numerous awards.
In February 2009, I was invited onto the committee of the Hawkes Bay branch of ONZ.
Executive Member - Chris Moore
 Aged 60, married to Annette for 35 years with 2 adult children and a grandson. Passionate sportsman with a love of rugby, cricket and golf. Keen gardener.
We live in Robinsons Bay (located on Banks Peninsula) where we run a bed and breakfast and an olive grove of around 1,000 fifteen year old olive trees and have completed 4 harvests. We market our extra virgin olive oils, infused oils and olives under our Robinsons Bay brand and sell through various retails outlets in Canterbury, the Canterbury Farmners Market and our own tasting room.
Prior to being involved in the olive industry I worked for Fonterra for over 20 years and held various Chief Executive positions in New Zealand and overseas in Fonterra's consumer business with a track record of significantly improving company performance and increasing shareholder value.
- I am passionate about the NZ olive industry and
- I belive in the objectives of Olives New Zealand
- I believe in the Certification Programme and the ONZ mark
- I believe in the Approved Supplier Programme
I am disappointed in the events that took place in the recent past and the impact that it had on our members and our industry. We need to put that behind us and get back to building a strong future for our world class extra virgin olives oils.
Executive Member - Ross Legh
 I am a Professional Engineer, Director, Board Member and owner of Norman Disney & Young, an International group of Consulting Engineers with offices in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. My prime responsibility is for the operation of the New Zealand offices. As such my expertise is both Engineering and Management at senior levels.
I have established in Northland, a grove and a contract processing company "The Olive Place Ltd". We have leading edge technologies in the design of the building and processing plant. Some of the technologies include NIR Analyzers – which provide analysis of Olives for % Oil and Moisture content, olive waste for Oil content, and analysis of Olive Oils. This allows us to advise growers on optimum harvest times, and to monitor and fine tune the efficiency of our processing plant.
We liaise closely with Alfa Laval, and have extensively modified the plant to suit the New Zealand conditions.
Regional Representive - Roger Armstrong
 I arrived from Australia in 1974 and began a career in horticulture in the Nelson Apple industry.
Looking for diversification away from apples I entered the olive industry in 1996 with our first order of olive trees from Blenheim arriving 1997. I formed our company Tasman Bay Olives Ltd with two close friends and during the next few years planted a total of 12,000 trees.We installed a Pegaso 500 in 2002 which has been my responsibility for the company.
I have also been developing harvesting machines with an engineering background gained over the years in operating an apple packhouse.
I have been a member of the local Nelson Olives New Zealand group since its inception in 1997 and elected Chairman 2 years ago.
I look forward to being a part of a leadership that has fresh commitment and determination to see this industry become a permanent and successful part of the New Zealand Horticultural Story.
Regional Representative - David Walshaw
 My ambition for New Zealand's olive oil industry is to have the true meaning of "extra virgin olive oil" understood by New Zealanders and what the quality of our oils means in terms of health giving properties and great tastes. Top this end I will be endeavouring to promote our "qualmark" red sticker as a point of difference frrom other imported so-called extra virgin olive oils.
After a 30 year career in banking, both here and overseas, I spent 12 years building a personal investment and financial advisory business which I sold a few years ago so I could grow olives and make great olive oil.
My wife Helen and I have a 2,050 tree grove at Te Horo on the Kapiti Coast. We are also shareholders with Chris and Graeme Harris in Kapiti Olives Ltd.
I am happy to represent members of the olive community as chairman of ONZ - Kapiti Olive Group and on the Executive of Olives NZ. I especially want to see NZ Extra Virgin Olive Oil take its rightful place with NZ consumers. Why would New Zealanders want any other oil?
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Olives to Oil
Olives New Zealand will conduct a training course, titled "Olives to Oil" at The Village Press, Hawkes Bay on 17 & 18 April. The previous three courses have been directed at processors, but this year's course will be directed at both the grower and the processor and is intended to promote a greater understanding of the issues facing each group.
The course will include presentations on :
- grove management
- harvesting
- food safety programmes
- cleaning
- processing, including receival, washing & de-leafing, crushing and types of crushers, amlaxing, cecanting and final vertical separation, grower responsibilities and possible mishaps
- waste management, including waste disposal procedures
- storage
- blending
- certification
- bottling & labelling
Please register your interest in attending with Ross Legh at r.legh@ndy.com as soon as possible.
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2010 Olives New Zealand Conference
The 2010 Olives New Zealand Conference will be held in the Hawkes Bay on Friday 8 October & Saturday 9 October. The preliminary programme is :
Friday morning : Executive and Regional Chairs' meeting
Friday afternoon : field trip
Friday evening : cocktail party
Saturday morning and early afternoon : field trip/workshop at three locations
Saturday afternoon : Annual General Meeting
Saturday evening : Awards Dinner
Further details will follow in subsequent newsleters as they are finalised.
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Certification 2010
In response to comment from some members, the Executive reviewed the chemical testing required for Olives New Zealand Certification. While there was some merit in adding additional chemical tests, namely UV absorption at two wavelengths, if was felt that at this stage the additional costs outweighed any benefits.
Further, it was felt that the responsibility for obtaining a full IOC trade certification rested with those exporters shipping to markets that demanded such documentation.
For 2010, the Executive decided not to make any changes to the chemical testing required for Olives New Zealand Certification, although this may be reviewed again in the future.
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Around the Regions
Central Otago
The spring and early summer weather was very unfavourable, leading to late flowering. Full flowering commenced in the third week of December and extended in some cases into the second week of January. All of this means that the harvest with be delayed with the bulk of the crop being harvested in June and perhaps into July. Unless the weather is favourable without severe early frosts there may be an increased risk of frost damage to the crop.
The fruit set overall is average or above average with Frantoio setting a heavy crop but Leccino being somewhat patchy with some trees setting a good crop and others a very light crop.
Hawkes Bay
CLIMATE CHANGE WORKSHOP
On February 9th a Climate Change Workshop was held for the horticulture sector. This followed workshops for Forestry, Dairying, Arable and other major sectors that rely on the land,air and water for their economic survival, development, future and prosperity.
In the horticulture sector it was noted that the average age of the land holders was over the age of 55 and that the influx of younger people into the industry was slow. Given that age concern and that climate change will be happen slowly, it is apparent that older land owners will see no benefit in their life times to committing to changing farming practices that would help lessen the effects of climate change unless there is a financial benefit in doing so.
It was noticeable that the workshop was being lead by a government agency, however the message from the workshop was that in all probability the lead over climate change will be lead by "Brand" owners as they endeavor to position their "Brands" to meet consumer demands. An example of how this could occur is where a " Brand" owner positions their brand on the platform of Sustainability. Any grower who does not meet the "Brand" owners expectations would be excluded in supplying the "Brand" owner with product.
All workshop results are being collated and a final draft on climate change will be published by year end.
Kapiti
The topic of Sustainable Farming attracted a good crowd to Jean and Ray Hollis’s Te Horo certified organic fig, feijoa and olive property, for the group’s first meeting of the year.
Nearly two decades ago the Hollis’s planted 19x different olive varieties as part of a Tree Croppers trial. As a result of the trial they concentrated on varieties that grew the best such as Leccino, Picholene, Sourani, Koroneiki and more recently Chemlali.
A walk through the grove talking about the trees, grass and weed control, soil management and also of diseases like peacock spot was of much interest to everyone and particularly as it pertained to organic certification.
This tour led naturally into a further discussion from Skelton’s representatives on soil and disease deficiencies and the range of chemicals and sprays available. An on the spot peacock testing (using a solution of 50% caustic soda) with new leaf growth, which could indicate leaf fall the following year, drew many questions and the free testing was extended to everyone who was able to turn up a couple of days later at the local Farmlands outlet. Many did and found that most worthwhile!
Olives NZ vice President, John Arthur, attended the afternoon and gave a brief outline of the main issues that the national body is concentrating on this year.
A relaxed social time followed which was also a fitting farewell to the Hollis’s who were the first commercial olive growers in the Kapiti region and who’ve recently sold their organic property.
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Classifieds
For sale. Due to increasing volumes we have for immediate sale to discerning purchasers wishing to operate their very own traditional Olive Press the following equipment;
2 x Enorossi Hydraulic Presses complete with 2 Gurneys each, a total of 215 Nylon mats in very good condition and sufficient stainless steel separation discs.
These presses were used in the 2009 season to process the fruit that produced the "Best in Show" EVOO at the 2009 ONZ Awards.
Interested parties should contact Graham Keen at Canterbury Olive Processors Ltd, Tel 03 312 6162 or email gkeen@xtra.co.nz for further information.
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Department of Labour
The Department of Labour policymakers are always interested in what impacts on SME (small to medium enterprises - self employed and employing 19 or fewer workers) productivity and welcome any comments or response. This feedback could be ONZ's reaction to new legislation that has been passed in the areas of Employment Relations as well as Health and Safety. It could be the economic climate. It could be anything that positively or negatively affects SMEs in the olive sector that we are willing to share. This information can sometimes travel further to the Minister of Labour.
The Department is also looking at what information they can provide to our industry on employment relations and health and safety that can add value. An example of this is that they can provide articles for publications with a range of topics such as the 90 day trial period, redundancy and disciplinary action guides, employment agreement builder, to name a few. In addition, they promote new tools or guides that may be useful to our industry. This is to aid small business owners (although it benefits all business) and this is for free.
For further information contact :
Small Business Information Unit
Department of Labour - Te Tari Mahi
Level 8, 280 Queen Street, PO Box 105 183, Auckland Central 1141
Web: http://ers.govt.nz/help/index.html
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News Briefs
Can you store extra virgin olive oil in the fridge?
Yes you can!
One of my twitter followers/friends recently asked if extra virgin olive oil can be safely stored in the fridge. They heard somewhere that "the shelf life is reduced, and valuable polyphenols are lost during refrigeration". more
Olive Oil Primer: Cooking with EVOO and the "Smoke Point"
A topic we see fluttering around in cyberspace revolves around cooking with extra virgin olive oil and EVOO’s "smoke point." It may not be the sexiest topic. But it’s a hot topic, so to speak, loaded with misinformation. more
Oleocanthal – The most important polyphenol in EVOO?
In 2003 something really exciting happened to the world of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) –but most people missed it. It was buried within a Dutch research paper which tentatively reported the sensory properties of the different types of polyphenols found in EVOO. more
Italian minister scores victory on olive oil labelling
Italy’s Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia has won a hard-fought battle to obtain labelling for virgin and extra virgin olive oil that clearly states where the olives used to make it come from. more
"Life Among the Olives - Good Practice in improving environmental performance in the olive Sector" by the European Commission. more
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Coming Events
May : Kapiti. Next meeting of the Kapiti Group will be in May and will cover "Harvest and Pressing" issues.
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Apology
I have to apologise for the late publication of this newsletter. Immediately following the Executive meeting on 20 February I was off to Wanaka for a week for the Otago Goldfields Cavalcade. One large blister and seventy five kilometres of hiking on old pack trails through the Pisa and Criffel Mountains later I arrived home to a large backlog, including this newsletter. It was a not to be missed experience, so I hope that you will accept this apology and enjoy the newsletter.
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