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<pre>Dear all

I am willing to provide you some background information on the
subject of quality assurance in my own personal time.

I have been involved in this industry full time as a Senior Quality
Assurance Consultant for Qld DPI for the last 5 years, prior to that
I had been involved in the Horticultural Industry for 27 years in
various positions

Agricultural Standards Inspector
Agricultural Chemical and Distribution Control Officer
Export Fruit & Veg Control Officer on behalf of Commonweath DPI
Export Grain Control Officer on behalf of Commonweath DPI
Senior Plant Health Officer - Papaya Fruit Fly and Senior Auditor
Interstate Plant Quarantine

In Private enterprise

Woolworths Quality Control Officer
Brisbane Wholesale Makets (Ian Boyce- Export Manager)
Australian Food Exports - General Manager

My Italian background has given me a strong foundation in Olives and
Olive Oil as from my parents having Olive Groves in Sicily to my
grandfather in the early 1900's having a Olive Oil processing plant
to my greatgrand parents having olive groves and so on......

I am not here to justify my existance but to provide to the Olive
Industry the knowledge,experience and the passion that I have gained
throughout the years.

I am absolutly amazed how little information that some people may
have to be very dangerous and misleading. Recently I noticed that a
message in this forum had been posted giving others adice on how to
treat a particular problem by using a particular chemical, the
chemical used has an off label permit and yes it can be applied to
olives but the writer had stated 300 gms/100 litres in fact the
chemical has only been permited to be used at the rate of
200gms/100litres .... a mere misuse of chemicals has applied...
prosecution may result in the misuse of chemicals.......

Botulism has been detected in a bottle of Olive Oil sold in
Australia containing Herbs Garlic and other spices, which I
purchased.

Pickled Olives purchased in Australia by myself have had spoilage
due to unacceptable microrganism present.

Recently my dear mother who passed away after suffering for 3 months
with Cancer said to me "to ensure that the Australian Olive Industry
gained the new age knowledge in growing and producing Olive oil
Safely and not to follow the ways of yester-year as she had
experienced in her home country"

As we have seen in other Food Industries in Australia which have
been affected by publicity of deaths and undue sickness to our young
children and the elderly and those Food Industries that have ignored
the pricipals of FOOD SAFETY HAVE SUFFERED in one way or another.

Here in a young Australian Olive Industry we have the opportunity to
get it right from the beginning at its infancy NOT WHEN ITS TOO LATE
and when SOMEONE YOUNG OR OLD whom are at the greatest risk, die or
are unduly severly mamed by sickness.


The principals of Food Safety are being taught to Olive Growers and
Harvesters through Olive Care - an Approved Supplier Program, a
program specifically designed for the Olive Industry and addressing
FOOD SAFETY & FOOD QUALITY ISSUES that have otherwise been ignored
by others countries that have produced Olive Oil and Pickled Olives
which have caused problems ...DEATH and undue sickness to people.

Let me tell you that the Olive Care Program was developed with the
help of Australian small growers,large growers, small and large Oil
Processors from the Australian Olive Industry over a period of 12
months and I am proud to have worked with the industry in developing
such a program that is a WORLD FIRST and having other
countries....sending me emails to gain more information on the
program so they may follow the same path that we have taken!

The course is a ONE DAY - 8 HOUR DURATION costing $319.00 GST
Inclusive and $49.50 for the 2nd person from the same Business
which includes a manual, flopry disk and CD rom
The course has had to date over 800 Australian and New Zealand
Growers attend.

The course is run during ANY DAY of the WEEK including WEEKENDS and
the next course will be held in TAMWORTH on SATURDAY the 31st MAY
2003 from 8.30 am till approx 4.30-5.00 pm

If anyone has any questions or requires any information on Quality
Management or Olive Care or HACCP please give me a ring at my work
om 07 5430 4917 or my mobile 0417601076.
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