Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan; Realignment; Withdrawal of Proposed Rule

Official abstract: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is withdrawing a proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on September 19, 2025, that proposed adjusting the Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan (Plan) by realigning several production districts and reducing the number of importers on the National Watermelon Promotion Board (Board) from nine to seven. USDA found the calculation used to justify the change in the number of importers to be legally insufficient and is therefore withdrawing the proposed rule.