Contaminated fresh ground beef caused a possible E. coli outbreak that killed two people and sent 16 others to hospitals, federal health officials said Monday.

A weak dollar and global economic recovery should boost most commodities prices, but gold, oil, corn and sugar will fare the best.

In the sprawling European subsidy program - which lavishes more than 50 billion euros ($75 billion at current exchange rates) a year in agricultural aid - no commodity is more susceptible to fraud, chicanery and rule-bending, experts say, than simple household sugar.

After burning through $1 million in savings and seeing no end to their losses, dairy farmers Jake and Lori Slegers figured they didn't have much choice — they had to kill the cows.

DuPont posted an 11 percent jump in third-quarter profit Tuesday, beating Wall Street estimates, but the chemical maker narrowed its earnings outlook for the year.

While the stock market rally could falter at any time, a weak dollar and strong global demand could mean no end in sight for the run-up in commodities prices.

Agriculture will be the biggest industry to profit from in the coming decades, well-known  investor Jim Rogers told CNBC.

Monsanto, the world's biggest seed maker, says its fourth-quarter loss widened to $233 million in the fourth quarter on a decrease in sales.

The price of gold will continue to rise and outperform stock markets and could go as high at $2,000, depending on the strength of the S&P 500 index, according to Chris Locke, managing director at Oystertrade.com Management.

China has had recurring periods of greatness and recurring periods of disaster and now is the time to be in China, Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, told CNBC as China celebrates 60 years of communist rule.

Commodities are the best area to invest in, as they protect against inflation and prices will rise if Asia's economies take off, Jim Rogers, CEO of Rogers Holdings, told CNBC Thursday.

Investors looking for variation from stocks, bonds and currencies could try investing in good wine, which has provided good returns over long periods of time,  but should beware of unprofessional advice in the area.

China is threatening to cut off imports of American chicken, but poultry experts have at least one reason to suspect it may be an empty threat: Many Chinese consumers would miss the scrumptious chicken feet they get from this country.

Tips for cultivating marijuana. Testimonials by patients about its medical benefits. Cannabis cooking lessons. Even citations for award-winning strains of pot. Viewers here can now watch, every week, what amounts to a pro-weed news program.

Global stocks reached new 11-month highs on Friday, boosted by positive Chinese economic data. The Shanghai Composite closed 2.2 percent higher after robust retail, production and investment data for August indicated China's economy is accelerating. But experts tell CNBC Chinese stocks will see another correction before year end.