Once the molds get a foothold, poor storage conditions also promote their post-harvest growth on grain.

FORBES: Bittman of the 'New York Times': Always Out To Lunch

Global grain production outpaced population growth, and Mr Borlaug won the Nobel peace prize in 1970 for saving hundreds of millions of lives.

ECONOMIST: Norman Borlaug

When that tree is sawn into boards, those growth rings produce grain and figure that's straight, consistent and predictable.

NPR: Excerpt: 'A Splintered History Of Wood'

Until this year American Commercial, had been happy to ride the surge in grain rates, with earnings per share growth of 15.3% from 2004 to 2006.

FORBES: American Commercial Lines Sinks, Again

High interest rates and taxes and a strong real have held back growth, especially in the more prosperous south and the grain-growing centre-west.

ECONOMIST: Lula is forced into an unexpected second round of voting

Westminster will take the blame, and there will be calls for something called Plan MacB, the Scottish government's claim that it can go against the grain of public sector squeezing across Europe, loosen the purse strings, and get some growth back into the economy.

BBC: Budget challenge