Earlier this month, representatives from the National Watermelon Association (NWA) traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for needed improvements for the U.S. watermelon industry. NWA representatives Bob Gibson, Jordan Carter, Greg Leger, John Lapide, and George Szczepanski played vital roles in advocating for legislative initiatives and industry priorities, particularly focused on agriculture labor reform.
During the trip, NWA met with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, U.S. Department of Agriculture representatives, U.S. Department of Labor representatives and White House staff. During their meetings on Capitol Hill and with the Administration, these representatives engaged in discussions on the industry's current labor issues, potential legislative and regulatory initiatives, and other possible solutions for the agricultural workforce situation across the country. Supporting the reform of labor programs like H-2A will ensure affordable and efficient labor for watermelon production, which is crucial for meeting harvesting needs and sustaining the entire industry.
© National Watermelon Association
NWA representatives encouraged members of Congress to support legislative efforts, particularly referencing the U.S. House Agriculture Committee's bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group (ALWG), which was established during the 118th Congress by Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) and Ranking Member David Scott (GA-13). Specifically, the association supports the recommendations in the final report from the ALWG and expressed the advantages for key policymakers to reference those recommendations when considering the agriculture workforce and H-2A reform. Other discussions involved encouraging the Administration to consider regulatory priorities that will positively impact the specialty crop industry and ensure adequate labor options for American agriculture.
© National Watermelon Association
"Our fly-in brought us face-to-face with leaders from both sides of the aisle in Congress and officials across the Administration. We've already seen some regulatory wins for our growers, and our meetings gave us reason to believe that further action is possible. But the message remains clear: without urgent action on agricultural labor reform, American watermelon growers are being pushed to the breaking point. We are committed to working with Congress and the Administration to deliver the solutions our growers need as soon as possible," said George Szczepanski, executive director of the National Watermelon Association.
"As both a grower and as president of the National Watermelon Association, I see the consequences of a flawed agricultural labor system every day. These challenges are not abstract—they affect real families, real farms, and the future of our industry. We went to Washington, D.C. to ensure both Congress and the Administration understand that labor reform is not optional—it's essential to the survival of farms of every size," said Bob Gibson, president of the National Watermelon Association and owner of Gibson Produce.
For more information:
George Szczepanski
National Watermelon Promotion Board
Tel: +1 (863) 619-7575
www.watermelon.org