Food prices in the U.S. are up according to the latest survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The Federation says the cost of 16 basic grocery items rose two-dollars and 41 cents from the fourth quarter of 2003 to the first quarter of this year, with the average paid now nearing 40 dollars. Of the 16 items surveyed, 13 rose in price including vegetable oil, apples, chicken, eggs, cheese, bread and potatoes. The only staples to drop in price were milk and ground chuck. Officials say part of the overall increase is due to the upward trend in energy prices, which affects costs associated with food processing and distribution.
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