Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years in the Sabina region, traces of the use of olives have been found dating from the sixth and seventh centuries BC. The mild climate and southerly exposure of the region create the ideal conditions for olive cultivation, whereas the hilly nature of the landscape makes modern intensive agriculture impractical. Because of this the olive groves have remained, most of them in family owned smallholdings, and the olive harvest is still carried out by hand.

Olive trees are well suited to organic cultivation because they suffer from few pests. In the last few years organic methods have become popular in the region, with the help of grants from the European Union.

In recognition of the high quality of the region's olive oil it was the first in Italy to receive the 'D.O.C.' quality mark. As with fine wines, this means that the oil conforms to certain quality and taste standards typical of a particular area.