Board Members & Nominations
Who currently serves on the Board and who do they represent? Here is the current map of districts and Board Members.
Each Board Member serves on at least one committee. You can learn more about committee structure here.
In November, USDA announced appointments to the NWPB. To learn more see the USDA press release.
2025 Call for Nominations!
The NWPB will hold teleconferences on February 12th to nominate producers and handlers to serve as district 4 and 5 directors. Board members are nominated by their peers, and nominations are submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, who makes final appointments to the Board. To be eligible for nomination, producers must grow 10 or more acres of watermelon, and handlers must be the first handler of watermelon.
At 11 a.m. (EST) all watermelon producers and handlers in District 4 are encouraged to attend and vote to nominate their representatives to the NWPB. At 1 p.m. (EST) all watermelon producers and handlers in District 5 are encouraged to attend and vote to nominate their representatives to the NWPB. NWPB will allow proxy voting for Board nominees. More information can be found linked in the District 4 and District 5 press releases.
Additional information regarding the elections and nomination procedures may be obtained by contacting NWPB Director of Operations & Industry Affairs Rebekah Dossett ([email protected]) or Industry Affairs Manager Andrea Smith ([email protected]).
Nominations and Appointments to the Board
The NWPB is composed of producers, handlers, importers, and one public representative appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board consists of an equal number of producer and handler representatives nominated by watermelon producers and handlers around the nation. Importers participate in the nomination of importer members of the Board. Importer members are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The public representative on the Board is nominated by members of the Board and appointed by the Secretary.
Today, there are five geographic districts in the contiguous states of the United States. Each of these districts is represented by two producer and two handler members on the Board. The number of Importer seats on the Board is proportionate to the percentage of assessments paid by importers to the Board. In any event, there is at least one representative of importers on the Board.
Nomination and Selection Process
Nominations for membership on the board are made through a process that includes a caucus held in each district. At the caucus, two candidates for each vacant position on the Board are elected. The names of those individuals are forwarded by the NWPB to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture makes the appointments to the Board from the nominees submitted from each caucus. Board members serve a three-year term of office. NWPB members may not serve more than two successive terms.
For further information about the nomination and selection of Board members, or if you are a watermelon producer, handler, or importer and have an interest in serving on the NWPB contact the Department of Industry Affairs at 407-657-0261. Individuals with such interest can also email [email protected] or mail to:
National Watermelon Promotion Board
Attention: Director of Industry Affairs
1321 Sundial Point
Winter Springs, FL 32708
Nomination Form – Research and Promotion Background Information