Economists and policy analysts investigate the cost implications and competitiveness effects of environmental, health, and animal-welfare regulations and standards, and of production-linked rules of good agricultural conditions for a range of agricultural products. They cover a regional perspective on public concerns; a commodity approach to trade, competitiveness, and public concerns; and emerging policy perspectives. Among specific topics are state and federal responses to increasing input intensity in the US, voluntary certification schemes and legal standards in the European Union, a European Union and US perspective on nutrient management policies and growth hormone bans in the beef sector, environmental standards in the fruits and vegetables sector of Spain, and two North American case studies of the pollution haven hypothesis and the location of livestock production. Distributed in the US by Stylus Publishing. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)