World food prices rose to a record in December on higher sugar, grain and oilseed costs, the United Nations said, exceeding levels reached in 2008 that sparked deadly riots from Haiti to Egypt. | Rising food prices and shortages could cause instability in many countries as the cost of staple foods and vegetables reached their highest levels in two years, with scientists predicting further widespread droughts and floods. | The U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed to pay $1.25 billion to settle more claims by black farmers who said they were discriminated against in federal farm loan programs. | A Zimbabwean farmers’ lobby group has condemned a proposal by President Robert Mugabe to evict remaining white farmers from their land before elections are held within two years. | NEW YORK — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton unveiled Friday a food security initiative launched by the Obama administration to combat hunger worldwide. | The U.S. government plans to buy another $30 million in pork products in fiscal 2009 for federal food assistance programs to help the flailing hog industry, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Thursday. | DES MOINES, Iowa - Gov. Chet Culver is seeking an agriculture disaster declaration for 23 Iowa counties that sustained crop damage from storms this year. | About 3,000 German farms have been given the green light to re-open, out of a total 4,700 that were closed due to a toxic feed scare, a regional agriculture ministry said Sunday. |