Supporting Texas Growers,
Delivering Quality Watermelons.
Membership
Join a powerful network committed to the growth, promotion, and success of Texas watermelons. Whether you’re a grower, shipper, or retailer, the Texas Watermelon Association offers the advocacy, resources, and community to both help you thrive while strengthening our industry. Together, we’ll ensure a bright future for Texas watermelons!
Membership
Join a powerful network committed to the growth, promotion, and success of Texas watermelons. Whether you’re a grower, shipper, or retailer, the Texas Watermelon Association offers the advocacy, resources, and community to both help you thrive while strengthening our industry. Together, we’ll ensure a bright future for Texas watermelons!
The Life of a Watermelon
From Seed to Store
Planting
Either planted in a greenhouse to grow and prepare for transplanting or directly seeded into the ground
Transplanting
This is done by hand with crews that sit on the back of a tractor and one plant at a time place plugs into the ground.
Flowering
Yellow flowers bloom, and bees pollinate them to help fruit grow.
Growing
Small watermelons form and grow bigger each day.
Ripening
The Texas sun sweetens the watermelons to perfection.
Harvesting
Farmers & Harvest Crews make the decisions on when to harvest and that this is done all by hand. There is no mechanical way to harvest watermelons.
Quality Check
Only the ripest and juiciest watermelons are selected. We test the Brix level for sugar content of the fruit and look at things like flesh density/firmness. Multiple melons from each load are cut and quality checked during the packing process.
Shipping
Watermelons are loaded onto trucks and sent to stores.
In the Store
On Your Table
Cut, share, and enjoy the sweet taste of Texas pride!
Seedless Watermelon:
How It’s Grown and Why It’s Everywhere
Watermelon has always been a summer favorite, but now we can enjoy it all year long, especially the convenient seedless kind.
So where did seedless watermelon come from?
It has actually been around for over 50 years. And those little white bits inside? They are not real seeds, just immature seed coats that are totally safe to eat. And no, you will not grow a watermelon in your stomach.
Here is how it works.
Seedless watermelons are made through crossbreeding, not genetic modification. Farmers cross one watermelon with two sets of chromosomes and another with four sets. The result is a plant with three sets of chromosomes, which makes it sterile and unable to grow mature seeds.
Even though seedless watermelons cannot make their own seeds, they still need pollen from seeded watermelons to grow. That is why farmers usually plant both types together. Still, seedless varieties now make up more than 90 percent of the watermelons sold in the United States.
They are easy, delicious, and perfect for everything from snacking to cooking.
Go Texan
The purpose of the Texas Watermelon Association (TWA) is to promote the production and consumption of Texas Watermelons. TWA constantly seeks to improve the growing, grading, handling, transportation, distribution, and sales of watermelons. The association works to enhance efficiency within the industry, increase profits and provide consumers with a better product. TWA is a proud member of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s GO TEXAN program.
The Texas Watermelon Association (TWA) is dedicated to promoting the production and enjoyment of Texas-grown watermelons. We work to enhance every stage of the industry—from growing and grading to handling, transportation, and sales—ensuring efficiency, higher profits, and a superior product for consumers
Million in sales
Members
Million lbs. grown annually
Events
Texas Watermelon Association 60th Annual Convention
Join us for the 60th Annual Texas Watermelon Association Convention—bringing together growers, shippers, and industry leaders dedicated to advancing Texas watermelons. New for 2026: We’re shifting to a Wednesday–Friday schedule, a change from our traditional Thursday–Saturday format—so be sure to plan accordingly.
Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day (Hosted by TIPA)
Join us for the Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day, a statewide event led by the Texas Department of Agriculture to highlight the importance of Texas-grown produce. This celebration brings together farmers, industry experts, and consumers to promote fresh, local fruits and vegetables while supporting Texas agriculture. April 4ᵗʰ. 2025
Texas Watermelon Association Promotions Coordinator Opportunity
Help shape the future of Texas watermelons. The Texas Watermelon Association is seeking a Promotions Coordinator to lead our nationally recognized Queen Program, coordinate events, manage communications, and work alongside growers, shippers, sponsors, and industry partners. If you’re organized, creative, and passionate about agriculture, we’d love to hear from you.
Sign up for reminders when convention tickets go live
Queens Program
The Texas Watermelon Association crowns a new Texas Watermelon Queen—our official Promotional Ambassador for the year. She travels across the state, making appearances at grower field days, fairs, supermarkets, parades, festivals, schools, and media events, all to promote the watermelon industry.
This Year’s Watermelon Queen
Lorelai Hill
Serving as the 2026 Texas Watermelon Queen is truly one of the greatest honors of my life. Being entrusted to represent an industry rooted in tradition, resilience, and family legacy means more to me than I can put into words.
As a proud Texan studying Political Science, I am passionate about leadership, service, and advocacy. My agricultural background gives me a deep appreciation for the hard work that fuels our farming communities. Agriculture tells a powerful story: perseverance, innovation, and commitment.
Whether I’m visiting growers, speaking at community events, engaging with students, or connecting with families across Texas, my goal is to build genuine relationships and shine a light on the people behind every harvest. I want consumers not only to enjoy Texas watermelons but also to truly understand and appreciate the dedication that brings them from the field to their tables.
As queen, I cherish serving others, celebrating farmers, promoting Texas agriculture, and sharing the sweetness of Texas watermelons across our state. I am grateful for this platform and look forward to the year ahead with family, friends, and community.
Learn more about Our Queen Program
Texas Watermelon Association (TWA)
Promotions Coordinator (Part-Time)
Position Overview
The Texas Watermelon Association (TWA) is seeking an enthusiastic, organized, and forward-thinking Promotions Coordinator to lead the Texas Watermelon Queen Program and support the marketing, communications, and event activities of our association.
As TWA celebrates over 60 years of serving the Texas watermelon industry, this position plays a vital role in advancing our mission: to promote the production and consumption of Texas watermelons while supporting the growers, shippers, retailers, and industry partners who make our industry successful.
The Promotions Coordinator serves as the primary liaison for the Texas Watermelon Queen Program and works closely with the Executive Board to enhance member engagement, strengthen industry outreach, and help position the association for continued growth and success in the future.
About the Texas Watermelon Association
Key Responsibilities
Texas Watermelon Queen Program Management
- Serve as the primary coordinator of the Texas Watermelon Queen Program.
- Recruit and solicit qualified queen candidates from across Texas.
- Plan and execute annual queen training efforts in coordination with the National Watermelon Association (NWA) and National Watermelon Promotions Board (NWPB).
- Mentor and support the current Texas Watermelon Queen throughout her reign.
- Coordinate all queen appearances, travel, scheduling, and promotional activities. This includes farm tours, grocery/retail visits, lobbying efforts, travel with other state associations, and much more!
- Arrange and manage travel logistics for both the Coordinator and the Texas Watermelon Queen.
- Plan and oversee the annual Texas Watermelon Queen Pageant held during the TWA Annual Convention each November.
- Prepare and support the Texas Watermelon Queen in competing for the National Watermelon Queen title at the National Watermelon Association Convention each February.
- Maintain positive relationships with contestants, parents, sponsors, and industry members.
Marketing & Communications
- Manage and grow TWA social media platforms- association and queen pages.
- Create engaging content that promotes Texas watermelons, the association, industry members, events, and the Queen Program.
- Assist with marketing campaigns, promotional materials, newsletters, and member communications.
- Support efforts to modernize and strengthen the association’s public image and digital presence.
- Promote the value of Texas-grown watermelons to consumers and industry stakeholders.
Event & Association Support
- Assist the Executive Board in planning, organizing, and executing:
- Annual Texas Watermelon Convention
- Board meetings throughout the year
- Industry events and promotional opportunities
- Attend and provide on-site support for association meetings and events.
- Coordinate event logistics, registration, communication, and promotional activities.
- Support membership engagement and help identify ways to streamline processes and improve the member experience.
Administrative Responsibilities
- Maintain organized records related to the Queen Program and promotional activities.
- Respond professionally to emails, phone calls, and member inquiries.
- Collaborate with board members, industry partners, sponsors, and volunteers.
- Assist with special projects and other duties as assigned by the Executive Board.
Interpersonal Responsibilities
- Cultivate relationships with community organizations, retailers, festivals, schools, media outlets, and industry partners to increase opportunities for Texas Watermelon Queen appearances and promotional activities.
- Actively promote the Texas Watermelon Queen Program to generate enthusiasm for Texas-grown watermelons and expand the program’s visibility across the state.
- Develop and strengthen partnerships that enhance the Queen Program’s reach, create meaningful promotional opportunities, and increase support for the Texas watermelon industry.
- Identify and pursue new appearance opportunities, sponsorships, and collaborative partnerships that elevate awareness of the Texas Watermelon Association and its mission.
- Serve as an advocate for the Queen Program by building excitement around appearances, educational outreach, community engagement, and industry events.
Qualifications
Required
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time management abilities.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating with board members and volunteers.
- Experience with social media platforms and basic digital marketing.
- Comfortable planning travel, coordinating schedules, and managing events.
- Reliable transportation and willingness to travel throughout Texas and out of state- April-Sept being the busiest travel months.
- Access to a dependable phone, internet service, and computer.
- Professional demeanor with mentoring and leadership abilities.
- Positive attitude and willingness to learn.
Preferred
- Experience in event planning, communications, marketing, pageant coordination, youth leadership programs, agriculture, nonprofit organizations, or association management.
- Graphic design, photography, or content creation skills.
No prior watermelon industry knowledge or experience is required. Training and industry education will be provided.
Personal Characteristics
The ideal candidate is:
- A strong communicator and relationship builder.
- Passionate about representing Texas agriculture and rural communities.
- Comfortable mentoring young leaders.
- Detail-oriented and dependable.
- Creative, innovative, and willing to bring fresh ideas to the association.
- Flexible and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Committed to helping TWA evolve and better serve its membership for the future.
Position Details
- Position Type: Part-Time
- Reports To: Texas Watermelon Association Executive Board (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Ex Officio Members)
- Travel: Required
- Work Location: Remote within Texas, with travel for events, conventions, meetings, and promotional appearances
TO APPLY:
Complete the attached PDF and submit with a resume to texaswatermelons@gmail.com
Cover letters encouraged but not required.
Mission Impact
This position directly supports the Texas Watermelon Association’s mission to promote Texas-grown watermelons, strengthen industry relationships, develop future leaders through the Queen Program, and ensure the continued success of the Texas watermelon industry for generations to come.
Join us as we celebrate more than 60 years of serving the Texas watermelon industry and help shape the next chapter of the Texas Watermelon Association.
Our Sponsors
Special Exhibitor
Media Relations Sponsor
Growing Connections, Advancing the Industry
Networking
Connect with fellow growers, shippers, and industry leaders to share insights that will help you grow your business.
Events
From our annual convention to industry gatherings, TWA hosts events that both celebrate and strengthen the Texas watermelon industry.
Research
We support advancements in watermelon production. This from improved growing techniques to market trends, ensuring a thriving future for Texas watermelons.
