The United Nations' global index for tracking food prices fell 1.9 percent in December after hitting an all-time high in 2022 amid drought, war, pandemic, and supply chain challenges.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Food Price Index, which tracks commonly traded food commodities, averaged 143.7 points in 2022. That is down one percent from the number one year ago, but 14.3 percent above the average value in 2021.
Over that period, essential goods have seen sizable price drops. The price of vegetable oil, for example, was down 6.7 percent from November, hitting their lowest levels since before the war in Ukraine. Cereal prices, meanwhile, were down 1.9 percent from November, while meat was down 1.2 percent.
While welcoming the improvement, the United Nation is urging nations to stay vigilant to avoid the kind of global food shortages that come with higher prices.
"Calmer food commodity prices are welcome after two very volatile years," said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero in a news release. "It is important to remain vigilant and keep a strong focus on mitigating global food insecurity given that world food prices remain at elevated levels, with many staples near record highs, and with prices of rice increasing, and still many risks associated with future supplies"
One exception to the steady price declines: dairy products. The FAO Dairy Price Index was up 1.2 percent in December, mostly due to higher international cheese prices.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas defended himself against reports that a GOP donor treated him to super luxury vacations.
California Rep. Mark Takano re-introduced a bill for a four-day work week to bring to Congress. "The idea here is to ignite and jumpstart a serious conversation about how long the work week should be," Rep. Takano said. "The next steps are to continue to build interest ... that interest needs to be turned into public sentiment."
Cheddar Explains: How Climate Change is Driving Migration
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas says he wasn’t required to disclose the many trips he and his wife took that were paid for by a Republican megadonor.
The two expelled members are Black and the member not expelled is white.
On A Positive Note: U.S. Taps First Woman to Ever Lead Largest U.S. National Guard
The capacity to burn coal for power went up in 2022 despite global promises to phase down the fuel that’s the biggest source of planet-warming gases in the atmosphere, a report Wednesday found.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has for more than two decades accepted luxury trips nearly every year from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow without reporting them on financial disclosure forms, ProPublica reports.
Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist and scion of one of the country’s most famous political families, is running for president.
A Democratic state lawmaker in North Carolina announced Wednesday that she is jumping to the Republican Party, giving the GOP veto-proof majorities in both the state's legislative chambers that should make it easier to enact conservative policies over the opposition of Gov. Roy Cooper.
