Our AFIDOL is a really excellent organization. It provides a lot of hands on training for both farmers and moulin (mill operators). We have a full laboratory with a PhD chemist who runs our lab. We have all our varietals analyzed by spectrometer so we can easily identify fraud. It is interesting how the AFIDOL is funded, rather unique I would say. We have a law that says 17 centimes per kilo of olives pressed from the moulins is voluntarily sent to the AFIDOL. Then we have another law, and a recent court case that confirmed the law, that the voluntary charge to all the moulins is mandatory. So we have a voluntary mandatory payment to the AFIDOL every year of 17 centimes per kilo of olives pressed. I doubt any other country has that.

Here in Alpes de Haute-Provence, the quality of olive oil is increasing year by year. One particular oil is made by Moulin Fortune Arizzi. Tastings from the small holders of the region are popping up in all the regional markets with those from 'no GMO, no pesticide' zones commanding a better price.