---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 4901"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "4901"
heading: "Congressional findings and declaration of policy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/4901"
units:
  - "Chapter 80 — Watermelon Research and Promotion"
---

# §4901. Congressional findings and declaration of policy

- (a) Congress finds that—
  - (1) the per capita consumption of [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) in the [United States](/usc/7/4902.md?p=10) has declined steadily in recent years;
  - (2) [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) are an important cash crop to many farmers in the [United States](/usc/7/4902.md?p=10) and are an economical, enjoyable, and healthful food for consumers;
  - (3) approximately 2,607,600,000 pounds of [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) with a farm value of $158,923,000 were produced in 1981 in the [United States](/usc/7/4902.md?p=10);
  - (4) [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) move in the channels of interstate commerce, and [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) that do not move in such channels directly affect interstate commerce;
  - (5) the maintenance and expansion of existing [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) and the establishment of new or improved [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) and uses for [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) are vital to the welfare of [watermelon](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) growers and those concerned with marketing, using, handling, and importing [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3), as well as the general economic welfare of the Nation; and
  - (6) the development and implementation of coordinated programs of research, development, advertising, and [promotion](/usc/7/4902.md?p=8) are necessary to maintain and expand existing [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) and establish new or improved [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) and uses for [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3).
- (b) It is declared to be the policy of Congress that it is essential in the public interest, through the exercise of the powers provided herein, to authorize the establishment of an orderly procedure for the development, financing (through adequate assessments on [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) harvested in the [United States](/usc/7/4902.md?p=10), or imported into the [United States](/usc/7/4902.md?p=10), for commercial use), and carrying out of an effective, continuous, and coordinated program of research, development, advertising, and [promotion](/usc/7/4902.md?p=8) designed to strengthen the [watermelon](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3)’s competitive position in the marketplace, and establish, maintain, and expand domestic and foreign [markets](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) for [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3). The purpose of this chapter is to so authorize the establishment of such procedure and the development, financing, and carrying out of such program. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to dictate quality standards nor provide for the control of production or otherwise limit the right of individual [watermelon](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3) [producers](/usc/7/4902.md?p=5) to produce [watermelons](/usc/7/4902.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XVI, § 1642, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1622; Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(k)(1), (2), Dec. 14, 1993, 107 Stat. 2263.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1993—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(k)(1), substituted “handling, and importing” for “and handling”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–189, § 8(k)(2), inserted “, or imported into the United States,” after “harvested in the United States” and struck out “produced in the United States” after “foreign markets for watermelons”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 1993 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–189, § 1(a), Dec. 14, 1993, 107 Stat. 2259, provided that: “This Act [amending this section and sections 4902 to 4904, 4906, 4908, and 4911 to 4914 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Watermelon Research and Promotion Improvement Act of 1993’.”

### Short Title

Pub. L. 99–198, title XVI, § 1641, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1622, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 1641–1657) of Pub. L. 99–198, enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Watermelon Research and Promotion Act’.”