Syngenta supports regional watermelon queen program with donation to National Watermelon Association
Syngenta will donate $10,000 to the National Watermelon Association to commemorate the billionth transplant shipped through the Full Count transplant program. Funds will be allocated to support growth of regional watermelon queen programs.
GREENSBORO, N.C., USA, February 26, 2019 – 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 (NWA). 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, Hawaii. The donation will be allocated to regional watermelon associations to fund public outreach via their watermelon queen programs.
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.”
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About Syngenta
Syngenta is one of the world’s leading agriculture companies. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. With 28,000 people in more than 90 countries we are working to transform how crops are grown. Through partnerships, collaboration and The Good Growth Plan we are committed to improving farm productivity, rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS.