Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner appointed six producer and six handler members to serve on the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

Two producer members have been reappointed for a second term, and four new producer and six new handler members have been appointed to serve on the board for the next three-year term of office beginning Jan. 1, 2008, and ending on Dec. 31, 2010. A full list of appointees can be found here.

Authorized under the Watermelon Research and Promotion Act of 1985, the board administers an industry-funded national research and promotion program to maintain and expand markets for watermelon. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the operations of the board.