// a href = ./ //

WASHINGTON (AP) - Monsanto says its net income increased 22 percent in the second quarter on strong sales of its biotech seeds.

The agricultural products company boosted its full-year earnings guidance, citing its strong performance in the first two quarters.

The St. Louis company says it earned $1.48 billion, or $2.74 per share in the three months ended Feb. 13. That compares to earnings of $1.21 billion, or $2.24 per share, a year ago.

Revenue climbed 15 percent to $5.47 billion.

Analysts polled by FactSet expected Monsanto to report earnings of $2.56 per share on sales of $5.27 billion in revenue for the quarter.

Monsanto has dominated the bioengineered-seed business for more than a decade. In recent years the company has focused on growing business in emerging markets like Argentina, Brazil and other Latin American countries.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) - A southwestern Illinois businessman who prosecutors say was illegally using jobless benefits to pay tabs at a Hooters restaurant and a hotel in Costa Rica faces more federal charges.

A new indictment Tuesday added four counts against 58-year-old James Quirin of Sauget. Those alleged felonies include tax evasion and false filing.

Quirin's already facing eight counts related to his alleged theft of government money after investigators say he misused a debit card given to people collecting unemployment benefits. Authorities say Quirin charged his Hooters tab and hundreds of dollars in hotel expenses to the debit card in March 2010.

Quirin is accused of working for an excavating firm and fraudulently getting more than $44,000 in unemployment benefits.

A message was left Wednesday with his attorney, Ronald Jenkins.

MARION, Ill. (AP) - A man who resigned as a southern Illinois sheriff's deputy after being accused of drunken driving for the second time in five years has pleaded not guilty to his latest DUI count.

WSIL-TV reports that 48-year-old deputy Shaunn Curry entered the plea Tuesday in Williamson County Circuit Court. He's charged with driving under the influence.

Authorities say the Williamson County deputy was off duty in his own vehicle March 1 when he was stopped near Marion after several motorists called 911 to report a possible drunken driver.

Curry was found guilty in 2009 of DUI related to a December 2007 wreck he had while off duty. He was sentenced to two years of conditional discharge.

He resigned late last month.