In this episode of Inside the Melon: The Watermelon Industry Podcast, host George Szczepanski, executive director of the National Watermelon Association, welcomes labor and immigration attorney Shawn Packer for a conversation about the H-2A guest worker program and its importance to watermelon growers. Packer explains how the program works, why growers increasingly rely on it, and the costs and complexities that can make it difficult to navigate. They also discuss changing agricultural labor patterns, common challenges growers encounter across federal agencies, the program’s impact on workers and their home communities, and recent developments surrounding the AEWR and proposed Securing Agriculture Workforce Act.

Inside the Melon is produced by Association Briefings.

In this episode of Inside the Melon: The Watermelon Industry Podcast, host George Szczepanski, executive director of the National Watermelon Association, welcomes NWA lobbyist Bob Redding for a look at how decisions in Washington can directly affect watermelon growers. Redding shares his path from political campaigns and congressional staffing to agricultural advocacy and highlights recent progress on key industry priorities, particularly labor and the H-2A program. He discusses changes involving the adverse effect wage rate and worker housing, efforts to codify reforms through legislation, and why continued bipartisan education and direct engagement from growers are critical to creating lasting change. Redding also explains what advocacy looks like behind the scenes, why growers’ firsthand experiences can make a difference with lawmakers and staff, and what he’s watching next, including specialty crop programs, export promotion funding, USMCA, nutrition policy and ongoing H-2A processing challenges.

Inside the Melon is produced by Association Briefings.

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 precision spraying technologies can significantly reduce herbicide use while improving efficiency, and explains how AI-powered scouting and decision-support tools are helping growers make smarter, more targeted management decisions. The conversation also explores the future of practical, field-ready technologies designed to address labor challenges, reduce input costs, and strengthen the competitiveness of watermelon growers.

Inside the Melon is produced by Association Briefings.