The report, Taming the Grocery Bill: Policy Reforms to Make Food More Affordable and Prices Less Volatile, comes as the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects food prices will rise another 3.4 percent this year, continuing to strain household budgets nationwide. "The evidence shows that today's higher food prices are the predictable result of supply disruptions, tariffs, and other costly laws and regulations. The study examines how the conflict involving Iran disrupted global oil and fertilizer markets, sharply increasing farming and transportation costs throughout the food supply chain. The report concludes that reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers and improving market flexibility would help lower grocery prices while strengthening America's food supply against future geopolitical shocks. The Pacific Research Institute ( www.pacificresearch.org ) champions freedom, opportunity, and personal responsibility by advancing free-market policy ideas.