The olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world spreading from the Middle East to the Mediterranean more than 6,000 years ago. The olive came to California in the 18th century when Christian missionaries brought olives and grapes with them as they established missions throughout the state. By the 19th century, the olive oil industry was thriving in California due to the state’s perfect terroir for growing olives.

The California Olive Oil Industry began a resurgence in the late 1980’s when Lila Jaeger formed the Northern California Olive Oil Council (NCOOC) after restoring her 100-year-old groves at the Rutherford Hill Winery in Napa Valley and starting to produce olive oil. Bonnie Storm became secretary of the NCOOC, in its early years, and was among the first California farmers to import bare root Tuscan variety trees from Italy. A small group of original NCOOC members promoted the fledgling olive oil industry and soon the group became the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). 

The COOC has successfully sponsored legislation to insure truth in labeling and prevent unlawful representation of oils from around the world as “extra virgin”. The group has a certification program that guarantees each certified oil is extra virgin. Today olive oil production in California is around one million gallons.

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