The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Nominees are needed to fill eight seats for members with terms beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and ending Dec. 31, 2029. Nominees are also needed to fill one vacant importer seat that ends on Dec. 31, 2027. Nominees are needed for the following seats:
- Two producer and two handler seats from District 1 (Florida)
- Five importer seats (including one vacant seat)
The board held videoconference calls on Feb. 11, 2026, for producers and handlers from District 1 and importers to select their representatives. For more information about the videoconference meetings and to obtain nomination information, contact the National Watermelon Promotion Board’s Director of Operations, Rebekah Dossett at rdossett@watermelon.org, or Industry Affairs Manager Andrea Smith at asmith@watermelon.org, or by phone at (407) 657-0261.
The board is made up of 30 industry members including 10 producers, 10 handlers, nine importers, and one public member. More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Watermelon Promotion Board webpage or on the board’s website, www.watermelon.org. For additional information, contact USDA Marketing Specialist Harrison Hodges at William.Hodges2@usda.gov or by phone at (443) 571-8456.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 21 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
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