Crop Production

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil revealed on Monday a preliminary list of U.S. patents and intellectual property rights it could restrict unless both countries settle a long-standing dispute over U.S. cotton aid.

Summary Box: Gold falls on easing currency concerns; Oil drops on mixed economic reports. GOLD DROPS: Gold prices continued to fall as concerns about the euro have eased. It's down nearly 4 percent in less than two weeks.

PepsiCo shrinks popular Tropicana size but keeps price same due to Florida citrus freeze. THE HIKES: Starting in May, Pepsico Inc. is shrinking its popular Tropicana orange juice 64-ounce product to 59 ounces, while keeping the price the same, and raising the price of its gallon container of orange juice.

PepsiCo shrinks popular Tropicana size but keeps price same due to Florida citrus freeze. Pepsico Inc. is raising prices on its popular Tropicana orange juice because of the deep freeze that hurt much of Florida's citrus crop.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called Wednesday on President Barack Obama to put his weight behind a quick resolution to a US-Brazilian trade dispute.

A sharp drop in world prices has almost halved cotton production in Africa over five years, the African Cotton Association announced Wednesday, saying the sector faced an "acute crisis."

Savvy investors will be pleased with their profit harvest . There's nothing like scarcity and supply disruptions to fuel violent price spikes. And there's nothing like the basic human needs for food and water to light that fuse. Today's world food supplies run on razor-thin inventories. While the food riots of 2008 have all but disappeared from our short-term memories, the threat of them returning grows stronger with every passing day.

Visiting US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said Tuesday that Washington was seeking talks with Brazil before it imposes retaliatory trade tariffs for US cotton subsidies the WTO ruled as discriminatory.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans and business groups on Tuesday criticized President Barack Obama's administration for failing to resolve a cross-border trucking dispute nearly one year after Mexico slapped retaliatory duties on about $2.4 billion worth of U.S. exports.

Summary Box: Grain prices drop a day ahead of the Department of Agriculture's crop report. THE CROP REPORT: Grain prices fell Tuesday, a day ahead of the Agriculture Department's update on foreign and domestic grain production.

A US senator on Tuesday warned advocates of escalating a trade dispute with Brazil that the South American giant would have "a lot of friends" around the world if Washington took such action.

Brazil said Monday it would raise tariffs on 591 million dollars worth of US products in the latest twist in its showdown over US cotton subsidies it has blasted as unfair.

Brazil said Monday it would raise tariffs on 591 million dollars worth of US products in the latest twist in its showdown over US cotton subsidies it has blasted as unfair.

Brazil announces trade sanctions on US goods like cars, fruit because of US cotton subsidies. Brazil announced trade sanctions on a range of American goods Monday in retaliation for the United States' failure to eliminate billions in illegal cotton subsidies ? a move that affects products from Ford automobiles to Heinz ketchup.

Federal regulators begin unprecedented set of hearings on competition in US agriculture system. Some Obama administration officials have made clear their unease with the increasing control a handful of corporations have over the nation's food supply, and this week in Iowa they could show whether they are serious about changing the system.

Summary Box: Industrial metals, oil rise on hopeful signs of US recovery; China growth. JOBS REPORT HELPS: Commodities prices got a lift Friday after the Labor Department said employers cut fewer jobs in February than expected. That hopeful sign for recovery pushed prices higher.

You say tomato, restaurants say sorry: Fla.'s freezing temps cause tomato shortage. A frigid Florida winter is taking its toll on your sandwich. The Sunshine State is the main U.S. source for fresh winter tomatoes, and its growers lost some 70 percent of their crop during January's prolonged cold snap.

PARIS (Reuters) - Europe's food safety agency has used partial evidence to approve genetically modified crops, including a GM potato developed by BASF, and should overhaul its methods, a French environment minister said.

Farmers vs. Hollywood: Corn farmers launch online campaign against Food Inc. Oscar nomination. The corn industry is lashing out at an Oscar-nominated documentary that has grossed out grocery shoppers, saying the film is unfair to many of the nation's farmers and shouldn't win.

Highlights from the latest Beige Book economic survey of the Fed's 12 regional bank districts. Highlights from the Federal Reserve's survey of economic conditions nationwide. The survey, released Wednesday and known as the Beige Book, is based on information collected from the Fed's 12 regional bank districts.