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<pre>For those of you interested, there was an article on this subject
in this Sunday's (24 Jan.) Los Angeles Times Business section: "Imports
put Squeeze on California's Olive Growers."

Summary of article is that California Black (ripe) Olive growers --the only
significant olive industry in the US-- are faced with stiff competition
from cheaper Spanish and Moroccan imports, which previously only exported
green olives and oil. Now, the imports claim nearly half of the U$150
million black olive market due to improved quality and efficient operation.
As a result, many growers are tearing out olive orchards and replacing
them with other crops. Bigger farms may likely survive, but not smaller
farmers. A couple of experts are quoted as saying the entire local
industry may die, given falling prices and lower government support.

Interesting fact: it costs California growers more to ship olives by
train to NY than it does for Spanish olives to be shipped there by boat.

The difficulties of the California olive industry have already been pointed
out in earlier posts. Recall also the previous LA Times article about
European investments in olive orchards in Mexico aimed at the US market.

Tough time to be a California olive grower.
--Alonso
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<pre>Alle 08.00 25/01/2000 -0000, alonsoflores@hotmail.com ha mandato a Marco
questo messaggio:
>For those of you interested, there was an article on this subject
>in this Sunday's (24 Jan.) Los Angeles Times Business section: "Imports
>put Squeeze on California's Olive Growers."

>Summary of article is that California Black (ripe) Olive growers --the only
>significant olive industry in the US-- are faced with stiff competition
>from cheaper Spanish and Moroccan imports ...

Here in Italy we have the same problem.
If you look for "taggiasca" on http://www.deja.com there is a couple of
interesting posting by Kyle Phllips about Italian "brand" oil. I can't
report them on my site or "brand" lawyers eat me :-(
The EC law has a loopback: you must print on the bottle the place where oil
is bottled, but producing place is optional.
So some "brands" buy el-cheapo oil and sell it as "bottled in Italy"
without to break the law: average users don't know the EC law, so they
think they are buying Italian oil.
Is the same in the US?

Bye!

Marco Bernardini
</pre>
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<pre>>From: Marco Bernardini <webmaster@taggiasca.com>
>The EC law has a loopback: you must print on the bottle the place where oil
>is bottled, but producing place is optional.
>So some "brands" buy el-cheapo oil and sell it as "bottled in Italy"
>without to break the law: average users don't know the EC law, so they
>think they are buying Italian oil.
>Is the same in the US?


We have the same loophole here in the US. I've noticed many bottles on
store shelves that say 'bottled in Italy' but no mention of the olive
origins or where the oil was pressed.
I think most consumers assume that they are buying Italian oil based on such
misleading labels. Most consumers -- I belive -- don't realize the
difference and the bottlers take advantage of this.

But this practise is not limited to olive oil. California wineries are
starting to complain about some wineries claiming to be, say, a 'Napa' wine,
but they only make or perhaps merely bottle the wine there, when the grapes
are brought in from less prestigious regions.
__________________________________________________ ____
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>>From: Marco Bernardini <webmaster@taggiasca.com>
>The EC law has a loopback: you must print on the bottle the place where oil
>is bottled, but producing place is optional.
>So some "brands" buy el-cheapo oil and sell it as "bottled in Italy"
>without to break the law: average users don't know the EC law, so they
>think they are buying Italian oil.
>Is the same in the US?


We have the same loophole here in the US. I've noticed many bottles on
store shelves that say 'bottled in Italy' but no mention of the olive
origins or where the oil was pressed.
I think most consumers assume that they are buying Italian oil based on such
misleading labels. Most consumers -- I belive -- don't realize the
difference and the bottlers take advantage of this.

But this practise is not limited to olive oil. California wineries are
starting to complain about some wineries claiming to be, say, a 'Napa' wine,
but they only make or perhaps merely bottle the wine there, when the grapes
are brought in from less prestigious regions.
__________________________________________________ ____
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Dear Marco:

We are having the same problem in the US. Many, primarily large suppliers
from Italy and some from France sell their products as bottled in Italy and
as bottled in France. If you taste their products you will be able to detect
the Northern Spanish and/or Greek olive oil infusion into their blend.

The problem with olive oil is as bad as with other products. The American
wine industry has some members who are equally misleading the consumers.
Let's not forget that in the US we import casein with French certificates of
origin, which was originally made in Kazakhstan, Belarus or Ukraine. I had a
lot of fun reading once a list of products per country where clearly the
exports were significantly higher than the national production numbers.
Where do you think the additional quantities come from?

I hope that something is done regarding this problem but consumers in the US
trust companies far more than their goverment. If any governmental body
tries to regulate the industry (see France) consumers will follow big
companies in crying that "big goverment" is trying to control their life
style. Change will come only with pressure at the grass root level (ie
consumer). This is why I am trying to educate all my clients through the web
page and through a newsletter that I publish for them and by giving public
speeches at Social clubs.

I hope this answers your question.

Best regards,
Constantine



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</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Dear Marco:

We are having the same problem in the US. Many, primarily large suppliers
from Italy and some from France sell their products as bottled in Italy and
as bottled in France. If you taste their products you will be able to detect
the Northern Spanish and/or Greek olive oil infusion into their blend.

The problem with olive oil is as bad as with other products. The American
wine industry has some members who are equally misleading the consumers.
Let's not forget that in the US we import casein with French certificates of
origin, which was originally made in Kazakhstan, Belarus or Ukraine. I had a
lot of fun reading once a list of products per country where clearly the
exports were significantly higher than the national production numbers.
Where do you think the additional quantities come from?

I hope that something is done regarding this problem but consumers in the US
trust companies far more than their goverment. If any governmental body
tries to regulate the industry (see France) consumers will follow big
companies in crying that "big goverment" is trying to control their life
style. Change will come only with pressure at the grass root level (ie
consumer). This is why I am trying to educate all my clients through the web
page and through a newsletter that I publish for them and by giving public
speeches at Social clubs.

I hope this answers your question.

Best regards,
Constantine



__________________________________________________ ____
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>In actuality, the labeling law differs from Extra Virgin to the other
varieties (pure or light). In the US, any extra virgin must designate its
country of origin in descending order of percentage. The FDA has yet to
provide a definitive ruling on pure and light olive oils because they are
studying whether the "substantial transformation" is sufficient enough to
merit an exception. The olive oil companies submit that the refining,
blending and packing of olive oil is an art and that the practice of doing
so represents a substantial transformation of the product. The analogy
drawn is that if wool were shipped into Italy and the Italian suitmaker
turns it into a fine Italian suit, then the product has undergone a
substantial transformation and could thus be labeled, Product of Italy.
Whether anyone on this list would agree that Spanish olive oil shipped to
Italy to be blended with Greek and Italian oil should be labeled, "Product
of Italy" because of the so called artesian skill of the blending process is
open to debate.


----- Original Message -----
From: Alonso Flores <alonsoflores@hotmail.com>
To: <OliveOil@onelist.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: [OliveOil] Black Olives in California


> From: "Alonso Flores" <alonsoflores@hotmail.com>
>
>
> >From: Marco Bernardini <webmaster@taggiasca.com>
> >The EC law has a loopback: you must print on the bottle the place where
oil
> >is bottled, but producing place is optional.
> >So some "brands" buy el-cheapo oil and sell it as "bottled in Italy"
> >without to break the law: average users don't know the EC law, so they
> >think they are buying Italian oil.
> >Is the same in the US?
>
>
> We have the same loophole here in the US. I've noticed many bottles on
> store shelves that say 'bottled in Italy' but no mention of the olive
> origins or where the oil was pressed.
> I think most consumers assume that they are buying Italian oil based on
such
> misleading labels. Most consumers -- I belive -- don't realize the
> difference and the bottlers take advantage of this.
>
> But this practise is not limited to olive oil. California wineries are
> starting to complain about some wineries claiming to be, say, a 'Napa'
wine,
> but they only make or perhaps merely bottle the wine there, when the
grapes
> are brought in from less prestigious regions.
> __________________________________________________ ____
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> FREE ADVICE FROM REAL PEOPLE! Xpertsite has thousands of experts who
> are willing to answer your questions for FREE. Go to Xpertsite today
> and put your mind to rest.
> <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/XpersiteCPC ">Click Here</a>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> INVITE: http://www.onelist.com/invite/OliveOil
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> PROMOTE: ~~~~~~~ Life is healthier with OliveOil ~~~~~~~
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> VOTE: http://www.onelist.com/surveys/OliveOil
>
>
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>In actuality, the labeling law differs from Extra Virgin to the other
varieties (pure or light). In the US, any extra virgin must designate its
country of origin in descending order of percentage. The FDA has yet to
provide a definitive ruling on pure and light olive oils because they are
studying whether the "substantial transformation" is sufficient enough to
merit an exception. The olive oil companies submit that the refining,
blending and packing of olive oil is an art and that the practice of doing
so represents a substantial transformation of the product. The analogy
drawn is that if wool were shipped into Italy and the Italian suitmaker
turns it into a fine Italian suit, then the product has undergone a
substantial transformation and could thus be labeled, Product of Italy.
Whether anyone on this list would agree that Spanish olive oil shipped to
Italy to be blended with Greek and Italian oil should be labeled, "Product
of Italy" because of the so called artesian skill of the blending process is
open to debate.


----- Original Message -----
From: Alonso Flores <alonsoflores@hotmail.com>
To: <OliveOil@onelist.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2000 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: [OliveOil] Black Olives in California


> From: "Alonso Flores" <alonsoflores@hotmail.com>
>
>
> >From: Marco Bernardini <webmaster@taggiasca.com>
> >The EC law has a loopback: you must print on the bottle the place where
oil
> >is bottled, but producing place is optional.
> >So some "brands" buy el-cheapo oil and sell it as "bottled in Italy"
> >without to break the law: average users don't know the EC law, so they
> >think they are buying Italian oil.
> >Is the same in the US?
>
>
> We have the same loophole here in the US. I've noticed many bottles on
> store shelves that say 'bottled in Italy' but no mention of the olive
> origins or where the oil was pressed.
> I think most consumers assume that they are buying Italian oil based on
such
> misleading labels. Most consumers -- I belive -- don't realize the
> difference and the bottlers take advantage of this.
>
> But this practise is not limited to olive oil. California wineries are
> starting to complain about some wineries claiming to be, say, a 'Napa'
wine,
> but they only make or perhaps merely bottle the wine there, when the
grapes
> are brought in from less prestigious regions.
> __________________________________________________ ____
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> FREE ADVICE FROM REAL PEOPLE! Xpertsite has thousands of experts who
> are willing to answer your questions for FREE. Go to Xpertsite today
> and put your mind to rest.
> <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/XpersiteCPC ">Click Here</a>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> INVITE: http://www.onelist.com/invite/OliveOil
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> PROMOTE: ~~~~~~~ Life is healthier with OliveOil ~~~~~~~
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> VOTE: http://www.onelist.com/surveys/OliveOil
>
>
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Alle 00.29 26/01/2000 +0100, Stan Kailis ha mandato a Marco questo messaggio:

>Like Australia, Argentina is expanding its olive activities. Do you have
>any information on production, varieties and main growing centres.

I know there are some large organic groves.

>Also does Argentina export oil to Spain? Brazil? or other latin American
>Countries?

Do you think Spain is selling Italy some Latin American oil, and Italians
sell it as "Italian bottled" into USA?
What a mess! Just like cocoa from Switzerland...

>A friend from Maya Blanca south of Beunes Aries has just sent me a small
>can og Argentinian Olive Oil. I will open it soon to taste and add to my
>"Choriatiki Salata" ie Greek Salad.
>I will also take it to the lab for some chemical evaluation.

Let us know your results.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Alle 14.15 25/01/2000 -0500, dt ha mandato a Marco questo messaggio:

>From: "dt" <dt-bt@email.msn.com>

>In the US, any extra virgin must designate its
>country of origin in descending order of percentage.

You're very lucky :-)

>of the so called artesian skill of the blending process is
>open to debate.

Are there any Scottish into this list?
I want to know if "blended scotch" is done with Moroccan whisky...
Just kidding: to blend is really an art, but only when the scope is to
improve the taste, not to have a cheaper product.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>From: "P Caird" <caird@hitech.net.au>
>Subject: Chart

Peter, you submit a message using HTML: it crashes Eudora Light.
Can you repost it in text-only mode, please?
Better if you place attachment somewhere on Net, writing us the URL: I
think onelist don't accept attachments.

Bye!

Marco Bernardini
</pre>
</td></tr></table>

<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>Alle 00.29 26/01/2000 +0100, Stan Kailis ha mandato a Marco questo messaggio:

>Like Australia, Argentina is expanding its olive activities. Do you have
>any information on production, varieties and main growing centres.

I know there are some large organic groves.

>Also does Argentina export oil to Spain? Brazil? or other latin American
>Countries?

Do you think Spain is selling Italy some Latin American oil, and Italians
sell it as "Italian bottled" into USA?
What a mess! Just like cocoa from Switzerland...

>A friend from Maya Blanca south of Beunes Aries has just sent me a small
>can og Argentinian Olive Oil. I will open it soon to taste and add to my
>"Choriatiki Salata" ie Greek Salad.
>I will also take it to the lab for some chemical evaluation.

Let us know your results.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Alle 14.15 25/01/2000 -0500, dt ha mandato a Marco questo messaggio:

>From: "dt" <dt-bt@email.msn.com>

>In the US, any extra virgin must designate its
>country of origin in descending order of percentage.

You're very lucky :-)

>of the so called artesian skill of the blending process is
>open to debate.

Are there any Scottish into this list?
I want to know if "blended scotch" is done with Moroccan whisky...
Just kidding: to blend is really an art, but only when the scope is to
improve the taste, not to have a cheaper product.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>From: "P Caird" <caird@hitech.net.au>
>Subject: Chart

Peter, you submit a message using HTML: it crashes Eudora Light.
Can you repost it in text-only mode, please?
Better if you place attachment somewhere on Net, writing us the URL: I
think onelist don't accept attachments.

Bye!

Marco Bernardini
</pre>
</td></tr></table>