The watermelon R&P program operates as the National Watermelon Promotion Board. The program's purpose is to maintain and expand existing markets and develop new markets for fresh watermelon. The program is administered under AMS oversight by the National Watermelon Promotion Board, which is composed of the watermelon industry – producers, handlers and importers nominated by their peers and appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board conducts promotional, consumer information, and industry information programs. To fund these activities, producers and handlers each pay 3 cents per hundredweight (cwt.) on domestic watermelons, and importers pay 6 cents per cwt. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection collects the import assessments. The Board reimburses the Federal government for expenses incurred in administering that program.
No assessments are levied on watermelons grown by producers with fewer than 10 acres in watermelon production. Importers of less than 150,000 pounds of watermelons annually may request reimbursement of their assessments.
On June 8, 1989, the Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan became effective, creating the program under the authority of the Watermelon Research and Promotion Act (pdf).
Organizational Structure
The 30 member Board is composed of 10 producers, 10 handlers, 9 importers, and 1 public member. For the purpose of nominations, the production area is divided into five districts of approximately equal production. Each district is represented by two handlers and two producers on the Board. Producer members are nominated by producers, and handler members are nominated by handlers. Importer members are nominated by importers. The public member is nominated by the Board. The full Board meets twice yearly to develop and review programs and policy. The executive committee meets monthly.
The Board’s office is located in Winter Springs, Florida. It has six full-time employees. You can access a listing of current Board members on the Watermelon Board roster.
AMS Policy on Board Diversity: AMS policy is that the diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of their industries in experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. When submitting nominations, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
Visit The Watermelon Board’s Web Site >
Organic Assessment Exemption
R&P programs allow persons that produce, handle, market, process, manufacture, feed or import “organic” and “100 percent organic” products to be exempt from paying assessments regardless of whether they are a “split” operation.