The introduction of a new watermelon variety at the National Watermelon Association Convention at Amelia Island, FL, in late February will be handled in somewhat of an unconventional manner by Nunhems USA.

According to Travis Estvold, marketing-communications specialist for North America/AUS/NZ, the Diplomat variety of watermelon will make its debut during a fierce competition, which includes a specialized beanbag cornhole board in the international seed company’s booth.

Citrus growers in California and Florida reported very little damage from freezing temperatures that blasted both states — the former in December and the latter in early January — but U.S. Department of Agriculture crop estimates released Jan. 12 show slight decreases in both states’ crops from earlier projections.

Ed Beckman, who has served as president of California Tomato Farmers since 2007, left the organization earlier this month to become chief executive officer of the Certified Greenhouse/Hothouse Vegetable Producers Association of North America, based in Clovis, CA.

More supermarkets are using independent nutritional rating systems on shelf tags, which could bode well for increased consumption of fresh produce.

The Florida Citrus Commission wanted a leader with a more extensive marketing background than former Executive Director Ken Keck, ousted last summer in a political putsch that also reduced the number of seats on the commission to nine from 12. The commission found its man in Douglas Ackerman, recently named head of the Florida Department of Citrus after spending the last seven years as category marketing manager for Lakeland, FL-based Publix Super Markets Inc.