"Jump in Food Costs Drives Up Price Index," May 14, 2009. Reuters/New York Times

"Producer prices rose faster than expected in April, government data showed on Thursday, driven by a surge in food costs.

The Labor Department said the Producer Price Index climbed 0.3 percent after declining 1.2 percent in March. Food prices rose 1.5 percent in April, the biggest increase since January 2008. Food costs rose on a record jump in egg prices, along with soaring prices for vegetables and meat.

Excluding food, the index would have increased 0.1 percent...."