natural disasters / page 6

Jan. 13, 2020

Drought, Not Fire, Remains the Bane of Australian Olive Growers

Australia's olive growers have mostly been spared from the wildfires that have been ravaging the country. Persistent drought, however, continues to cause concern.

Sep. 28, 2018

Fire in Tuscan Countryside, Thousands of Olive Trees Up in Smoke

A massive wildfire on Mount Serra, in the province of Pisa, devastated a huge area of woodland and ten thousand olive trees.

Apr. 19, 2018

Landslide in Western Greece Sweeps Olive Trees Away

About 2,500 centenarian olive trees were swallowed by the tumbling soil.

Jul. 14, 2016

Research Shows Leccino Less Susceptible to Xf

According to a new study, the Leccino olive variety appears to be ‘tolerant’ to the attack of the Xylella fastidiosa bacterium that has wiped out large swaths of Italian olive-growing regions.

Jul. 27, 2015

European Commission Publishes Xylella Fastidiosa Factsheet

The document points out that Xylella fastidiosa is one of the world’s deadliest plant bacteria and the only confirmed outbreak in the EU is in Apulia.

Jul. 21, 2015

As California Grapples with Water Shortage, Olive Oil Producers See an 'Up Year'

Despite a wrenching drought and a widening debate over California's water supply, forecasts for the 2015 olive harvest are surprisingly upbeat.

May. 6, 2015

Drought Rages On in California

While golf courses and cemetery lawns go brown and cars get dirty, no cutbacks were imposed on the huge agriculture industry.

Apr. 19, 2015

Olive Tree Felling Starts in Apulia Amid Protests

The destruction of the trees follows a controversial proposal to cut down 11 million olive trees to contain the spread of the deadly bacterium.

Apr. 2, 2015

Lack of Consensus on EU Measures to Stop Outbreak in Salento

Experts from the 28 EU member states in failed to reach a consensus on the measures to contain the spread of the bacterium.

Mar. 31, 2015

What Will Save Salento's Olive Trees?

Is uprooting the only option to save Apulia's olive groves? In Italy, there's a growing outcry against proposed measures to stem a deadly bacteria.

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Mar. 22, 2015

Europe Proposes Cutting Down Millions of Olive Trees in Italy to Fight Outbreak

The proposed measures would include eradication, buffer zones and a strict limit on the movement of young trees.

Feb. 5, 2015

Food Safety Authority Warns Bacteria Threatens Olive Trees Across Europe

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) warns that Xylella Fastidiosa could spread from Apulia to olive groves across Europe.

Dec. 15, 2014

After the Olive Fruit Fly and Bacterial Blight, the Dreaded Starling

There is little relief in this "Black Year" for Italian olive oil with challenges seeming to come from every direction.

Dec. 11, 2014

California's 'Rainpocalypse' Good News for State's Olive Oil Producers

From one extreme to the other, California farmers are hoping a "biblical rain" will bring relief from this year's historic drought.

Dec. 8, 2014

Apulia Asks Italian Government for Help with Olive Tree Epidemic

The president of Apulia sent a letter to the Italian Prime Minister for an urgent meeting over the year-long Xylella fastidiosa epidemic.

Nov. 24, 2014

Could the Crisis in Italy Have Been Prevented?

2014 will go down as one of the worst years in recent history for olive oil production in Italy. One expert thinks it didn't have to be this bad.

Nov. 3, 2014

A Harvest to Forget

This part of central Italy is famous for its quality oil grown on stony hillsides, but this year the olive fly has caused havoc in Umbria.

Nov. 3, 2014

Add France to Growing List of Poor Harvests

The olive fly enjoyed a mild winter in Provence this year, devastating crops and the region's prized olive oils.

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