BRENDA MAINWARING will be promoted to Union Pacific Railroad's vice president of public affairs for the Southern Region, effective April 15, succeeding Joe Adams, who will retire May 31.

Ms. Mainwaring joined the railroad in 1997, serving as director of public affairs for Iowa and Nebraska since 2007. She worked in Washington, DC, with the U.S. government prior to joining Union Pacific.Ms. Mainwaring earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in anthropology from the University of Iowa.

Cool weather has delayed or slowed watermelon production in the southern United States and consumption in northern states, but steady supplies from farther south have been adequate to meet demand as the Florida and Texas deals come on in earnest this month.

WeatherBug is forecasting a summer season similar to 2012 for much of the continental United States. For summer 2013, it indicated a distinct threat for above-normal temperatures from west Texas across the Great Plains into the central and Southern Rockies, and across the Mid-South. Areas around the Great Lakes and the Southeast coast should favor near-normal seasonal temperatures. Only one small pocket of slightly cooler-than-normal conditions is expected along the coast of the Pacific Northwest.

Responding to strong consumer demand for vegetable salads that taste great and are packed with nutrient-dense superfoods, Apio Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Landec Corp. and a leading national producer of fresh-cut vegetable products, is introducing its new Eat Smart ginger bok choy vegetable salad kit.

BOSTON — The New England Produce Council's 14th annual expo was marked by a strong retail presence, a varied trade show and a keynote speech by a baseball hero.

Paul Kneeland, vice president of produce, floral and seafood for Kings Supermarkets, will now add management of the meat department to his responsibilities. He has been with the company since 2007.