By Clint Thompson
The National Watermelon Association (NWA) ushered in a new era at its annual meeting in February. After nearly 20 years, the association has a new leader at the helm.
George Szczepanski assumed the leadership role in an industry that’s currently facing numerous challenges, including labor shortages and high wage rates, inflationary impacts with input costs and competition from rising imports. He is confident, though, in the association’s ability to continue its mission of serving the industry and being a voice for farmers.
“I think the association has an opportunity to really serve the growers, because there’s a lot of issues that affect our industry that we’ve got to be working on,” said Szczepanski, who succeeded Bob Morrissey as executive director of the NWA. Morrissey retired following the association’s convention in Asheville, North Carolina.
GROWERS FIRST
The NWA continues to advocate for watermelon growers across the United States. That has been a constant since its inception and continued during Morrissey’s tenure, dating back to when he became the association’s executive director in 2005.
“I’ve always been an advocate for growers first,” Morrissey said. “If they are successful, then everyone is successful. That must continue to be the mantra going forward. It starts and ends with the growers.”
The association’s programs focus on research that issues grants for projects that pursue solutions for pest and disease pressures; a food-safety program that includes watermelon guidance; an extensive communications program to keep members informed; and the national queen promotions program, which is the NWA’s original program. Areas Szczepanski intends to focus on include public policy work on labor issues like H-2A and advancing research that will address pest and disease pressures.
LABOR REFORM
Labor issues continue to challenge the sustainability of watermelon production. Domestic options are non-existent. The H-2A process, while it provides a consistent pool of laborers, can be convoluted with stringent regulations. Wage rates continue to soar with no end in sight. It is especially frustrating since legislative leaders can’t establish a plan that appeases both sides of the political table.
“For 36-plus years we have been fighting with Washington to fix the labor crisis, and for most of those years, the major parties have complicated the narrative by adding their own objections to the argument, thus leaving agriculture’s problems unanswered,” Morrissey said. “Border security, pathway to citizenship, amnesty, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and more have altered the focus on what is a singular issue, which is providing a viable, legal, foreign workforce that does not have an adverse effect on American workers.”
Szczepanski added, “There’s general disappointment that we haven’t made progress on reform.”
FAMILY TRADITION
Those in the NWA are not deterred by the disappointment felt by the lack of movement on labor reform. They are still invested in a productive industry and collectively want to see it flourish in the coming years. That family-like atmosphere is what Szczepanski noticed quickly at the association’s convention this year.
“It’s a family. I think that part of the association is something that can’t be overlooked. The community that’s provided through the convention and through some of the collaborative work that our people do on committees throughout the year is really critical to the identity of NWA and what we do as a service for our members,” he said.
Morrissey echoed his successor’s sentiments about association members being a family: “While they operate for at least 51 weeks of the year as competitors, when they come to our national convention, they put that aside and act as family,” Morrissey said. “That is why we (internally) began to rename the national convention as our annual Watermelon Family Reunion. There is no other association like the NWA.”
RETIREMENT REFLECTIONS
Morrissey has helped spearhead the focus of NWA for almost 20 years. He reflected on his years of contribution.
“Twenty years at the association and 50 in the food industry are big numbers, no doubt. When you’re in the ring and fighting for our members like we did, the years blend in with the changing landscape. Our efforts began with a relatively blank slate, and the creation of a sustainable, viable association was our focus,” Morrissey added. “That vision was realized a number of years ago, and it has continued to evolve to remain relevant.”
Morrissey has left a lasting impact on an organization that continues to unite producers. It is an era that Morrissey can be proud of.
“We have created something that is viable with research, food safety, communications, (federal) public affairs and the queen promotions. We are relevant to our members, which is the primary objective at the end of each day,” Morrissey said. “I can sleep well at night knowing how hard we fought, what we accomplished, what we built and how promising the future looks.”
Szczepanski steeped in fresh produce service
George Szczepanski graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a bachelor’s degree in food marketing, and from the University of Delaware with a master’s degree in agricultural and natural resource economics. He has spent his career serving the fresh produce industry.
After a stint with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s “Jersey Fresh” state marketing program in college, he worked for Jac Vandenberg, Inc. in imported produce. There, he gained experience in fresh produce sales and developed a keen understanding of the supply chain.
Szczepanski spent 12 years at the Produce Marketing Association and the International Fresh Produce Association, working in sales, membership, business development and public policy roles. In January 2023, he started as executive director of the National Watermelon Association.