Communications

Inside the Melon: The Watermelon Industry Podcast     Welcome to Inside the Melon: The Watermelon Industry Podcast, brought to you by the National Watermelon Association. Hosted by Executive Director George Szczepanski, Inside the Melon takes you behind the scenes of the watermelon industry through conversations with growers, researchers, industry experts, advocates, and leaders from…

Agricultural employers should exercise caution with signatures on Form I-129 following reports of recent USCIS denials when signatures appeared to be electronically applied, copied, or reused from previous filings. Our recommendation: get a new, original wet signature for each application and avoid reused or digital signatures. Employers have also reported success using fresh signatures less…

With Congress home for the August recess, this is an important window for growers and industry leaders to make their voices heard before lawmakers return to Washington in September. The National Watermelon Association has joined more than 450 organizations in supporting H.R. 9535, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act (SAWA), legislation aimed at bringing practical, much-needed…

The NWA has received reports from members of scammers impersonating legitimate produce buyers and attempting to pick up loads of watermelons without payment. These scammers may use the names of real companies with good credit, making these schemes difficult to identify.When dealing with a new or unfamiliar buyer, please keep the following points in mind:…

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the 2026 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR), with the new rates taking effect immediately in most states. For states not covered by the ongoing Farmworker Protection Rule litigation, the new rates became effective on August 3. However, for several watermelon-producing states—including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri,…

In the inaugural episode of Inside the Melon: The Watermelon Industry Podcast, host George Szczepanski, executive director of the National Watermelon Association, welcomes Dr. Nathan Boyd, professor and weed science specialist at the University of Florida, to discuss how artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer vision are transforming weed management in watermelon production. Dr. Boyd shares how…

National Watermelon Month is one of the busiest times of the year for the National Watermelon Queen Program. National Watermelon Queen Katelyn Lindsay, along with the state and regional watermelon queens representing NWA’s chapters, are hard at work promoting the industry across the country. The queens participate in various activities, including television appearances, retail promotions,…

The Edisto Research and Education Center (Edisto REC) of Clemson University will host its annual Watermelon and Vegetable Field Day on July 9 in Blackville, South Carolina. This event will bring together growers, researchers, extension specialists, and industry partners for a comprehensive day focused on the latest advancements in watermelon production. Topics to be covered…