points from fiscal 2009 to fiscal 2010. These improvements were driven by favorable mix, HMM initiatives and lower input costs. Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were up $284 million in fiscal 2010 versus fiscal 2009. SG&A expenses as a percent of net sales in fiscal 2010 increased by 2 percentage points compared to fiscal 2009. The increase in SG&A expenses was primarily driven by a 24 percent increase in advertising and media expense. In fiscal 2010, the Venezuelan government deval- ued the Bolivar exchange rate against the U.S. dollar.The effect of the devaluation was a $14 million foreign exchange loss. Also in fiscal 2010, we recorded a $13 million recovery against a corporate investment compared to write downs of $35 million related to various corporate investments in fiscal 2009. In fiscal 2009, we recorded a $41 million gain from a settlement with the insurance carrier covering the loss of our La Salteña pasta manufacturing facility in Argentina, which was destroyed by fire in fiscal 2008. There were no divestitures in fiscal 2010. In fiscal 2009, we recorded a net divestiture gain of $129 million related to the sale of our Pop • Secret product line from our U.S. Retail segment for $192 million in cash. Also in fiscal 2009, we recorded a $38 million loss on the sale of a portion of the assets of our frozen unbaked bread dough product line in our Bakeries and Foodservice seg- ment, including the discontinuation of our frozen dinner roll product line in our U.S. Retail segment that shared a divested facility. In addition, we recorded a $6 million loss in fiscal 2009 on the sale of our bread concentrates product line in our Bakeries and Foodservice segment. Interest, net for fiscal 2010 totaled $402 million, $19 million higher than fiscal 2009. Average interest-bearing instruments decreased $1.0 billion in fiscal 2010, leading to a $58 million decrease in net interest, while average interest rates increased 60 basis points generating a $37 million increase in net interest. The average interest rate on our total outstanding debt was 6.3 percent in fiscal 2010 compared to 5.7 percent in fiscal 2009. In fiscal 2010, we also recorded a loss of $40 million related to the repurchase of certain notes, which represented the pre- mium paid, the write-off of the remaining discount and unam- ortized fees, and the settlement of the related swaps. In fiscal 2010, we decided to exit our kids’ refrigerated yogurt beverage product line at our Murfreesboro, Tennessee plant and our microwave soup product line at our Vineland, New Jersey plant to rationalize capacity for more profitable items. Our deci- sions to exit these U.S. Retail segment products resulted in a $24 million noncash charge against the related long-lived assets. No employees were affected by these actions. We expect to recognize $2 million of other exit costs related to these actions, which we anticipate will be completed by the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2011. We also decided to exit our breadcrumb product line at our Federalsburg, Maryland plant in our Bakeries and Foodservice segment. As a result of this decision, we con- cluded that the future cash flows generated by these products were insufficient to recover the net book value of the associated long-lived assets. Accordingly, we recorded a noncash charge of $6 million primarily related to the impairment of these long-lived assets and in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, we sold our manufacturing facility in Federalsburg for $3 million. In fiscal 2010, we also recorded a $1 million net gain on the sale of our previously closed Contagem, Brazil bread and pasta plant for cash proceeds of $6 million, and recorded $2 million of costs related to previously announced restructuring actions. In fiscal 2010, we paid $8 million in cash related to restructuring actions taken in fiscal 2010 and previous years. Our consolidated effective tax rate for fiscal 2010 was 35.0 per- cent compared to 37.1 percent in fiscal 2009. The 2.1 percentage point decrease primarily reflects an unfavorable court decision last year on an uncertain tax matter, which increased fiscal 2009 income tax expense by $53 million. In addition, fiscal 2009 included 21 Annual Report 2010 Restructuring, impairment, and other exit costs totaled $31 mil- lion in fiscal 2010 as follows: Expense (Income), in Millions ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Discontinuation of kids’ refrigerated yogurt beverage and microwave soup product lines $24.1 Discontinuation of the breadcrumbs product line at Federalsburg, Maryland plant 6.2 Sale of Contagem, Brazil bread and pasta plant (0.6) Charges associated with restructuring actions previously announced 1.7 ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Total $31.4