Olives101.com

By Marilyn Campbell, California is striking oil — olive oil that is. Revelations about the health benefits of olive oil have led to a steady increase in American olive oil consumption. According to the California Olive Oil Council, sales of U.S. produced olive oil has increased 20 percent each year for the last five years. […]

Article By Kylie Mendonca, Photo by Steve E. Miller, From Napa to Santa Barbara, California wines have developed as one of the state’s most coveted agricultural products. But there’s more to the fruits of the Golden State than just grapes. People in the know indulge in olives. California now produces some of the finest olives […]

By Sudhin Thanawala, MARTINEZ, Calif.—Later this fall, Tom Powers will harvest his olives and press them into his Alhambra Valley brand authentic extra virgin olive oil with a distinctive peppery finish. “This is really high quality stuff,” says Powers, whose two varieties of Tuscan olives grow amid the dry, rolling hills of Contra Costa County, […]

The North Coast has emerged as the center of California’s growing olive oil production — at least for now. The California Olive Oil Council says Sonoma County has more olive oil producers than any other. But that could change as more farmers in the Central Valley switch to olive varieties meant to produce oil. [Source] […]

By the end of next year, California may overtake France in olive oil production. The California Olive Oil Council says plantings of olive trees for oil production have expanded to include 10,000 acres in 48 counties. The council says it expects California to produce more than a million gallons of extra virgin olive oil by […]