In 2018, Syngenta did something through its Full Count plant program that no other transplant program provider has done: it shipped its billionth watermelon transplant. To commemorate the milestone, Syngenta announced that it has donated $10,000 to the National Watermelon Association. Syngenta is a major sponsor and supporter of the NWA and its national convention each year.

Dean Liere, Syngenta regional portfolio manager, presented the donation check to NWA at the 2019 annual convention in Waikoloa, HI. The donation will be allocated to regional watermelon associations to fund public outreach via their watermelon queen programs. Dean Liere, regional portfolio manager at Syngenta, presented John Gee, vice president of the National Watermelon Association, with a $10,000 donation to the NWA state watermelon queen program. The donation commemorates the shipment of the billionth Full Count watermelon transplant. 

Watermelon associations that will share the donation are located in eight regions across the country: Florida, Georgia, Gulf Coast, Illiana, Mar-Del, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.  

Since its inception in 2002, the Full Count plant program has provided watermelon growers with quality, reliable transplants that can take the guesswork out of planting. First of its kind in the industry, the program continues to be a market-leading provider of transplants, with demand continuing to climb.

“The Full Count program revolutionized the watermelon transplant industry,” said Liere. “This program took away the challenges growers had buying seed and helped them be as responsive as possible to the needs of the market. At Syngenta, we take pride in breeding superior watermelon varieties. Through this program, we’ve been able to exceed market needs for both growers and consumers.”

This $10,000 donation is one more way Syngenta is supporting the watermelon industry. Every year, the NWA crowns a national watermelon queen at the annual NWA Convention. At the regional level, watermelon associations sponsor their own queens. The watermelon queens are public outreach ambassadors who travel across their regions and the nation to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits and economic value of watermelons.

“Our watermelon queen program is integral to our mission of educating the public about watermelon quality, safety and supply,” said Bob Morrissey, executive director of NWA. “We have enjoyed a long partnership with Syngenta and look forward to continuing to advance the watermelon industry together.”