Food Prices Hit Record Highs

It might be a convenient time to go on a diet. The U.N. Food Price Index, which measures global costs, says the index rose to the highest level in its 21-year history in February. Leading the pack are wheat, rice, and corn, which have shot up 70 percent in the last year. But while droughts and flooding in key producers are behind the increases so far, the U.N. warns that rising oil prices—a result of unrest in the Middle East—are likely to drive prices even higher.