“Status quo, and all things moving smoothly is a good thing in the fresh produce business, and that’s what we have this spring in Florida,” Calvert Cullen, president of Northampton Growers Produce Sales Inc., headquartered in Cheriton, VA, told The Produce News in early March. “March came in like a lion with a couple of cold snaps with temperatures dropping into the low 30s, but very little damage was reported in our area.”

DONNA KUSH has been promoted to Union Pacific Railroad's vice president of public affairs for the Northern Region, effective April 1, succeeding Joe Bateman, who will serve as vice president of government relations until his planned retirement on Oct. 1. Ms. Kush was previously assistant vice president of corporate communications. She joined Union Pacific in 2008 and has more than 24 years of corporate marketing, branding and communications experience. She earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees in journalism and mass communications from the University of Nebraska.

Water — or specifically a lack of it — is increasingly an area of focus not only in agriculture but in all industries, as municipalities and the corporate world battle for control of supplies.

RPE announced that Tron Crumley and Sue Rodriquez have joined its sales team. Both individuals will be based in RPE’s new Blackfoot, ID, office.

Mr. Crumley and Ms. Rodriquez will report to Clay Gustaveson, RPE’s director of foodservice sales, who will split his time between his current office at RPE-Idaho in Rupert and the new office in Blackfoot.

Back by popular demand, the Great Big Idaho Potato Truck officially set off on its seven-month cross-country journey with support and good wishes from Governor C. L. (Butch) Otter and hundreds of Emmett, ID, residents.

With a couple of years of production under its belt, Oso Sweet Onions has a much larger crop of California onions this year from two distinct growing regions.

Brian Kastick, president and general manager of the Charleston, WV-based firm, said the Brawley district in the southern desert region of Imperial Valley will be shipping in May and June, while Bakersfield will provide Oso Sweet Onions in July and August. He said both regions are perfectly suited to provide what he calls “a real sweet onion.”