France puts rising food prices at top of G-20 Agenda

President Nicolas Sarkozy made food a priority at a meeting of Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations last week.  As Western Europe's largest grain producer, France addressed rising world food prices by proposing to improve transparency in commodities markets.  Some agricultural nations such as the U.S., Canada and Brazil oppose greater regulation, saying that it would make markets a less-effective reflection of supply and demand.  

Food prices pushing millions into poverty

The World Bank released new data showing that the cost of grain and other staples is just 3 percent below its historic high in 2008 -- a level that touched off food riots in several countries.  World Bank President Robert Zoellick urged major nations to find ways to stabilize world food prices.