A wide variety of Government regulations and policies influence the turkey industry. This report describes the major regulatory agencies and policies affecting the industry and assesses their relative cost impacts on various sectors of the industry. Regulatory activity is classified into three types: economic regulation; environmental, health, and safety regulation; and social regulation. At least 19 different Federal agencies affect the turkey industry. The combined effects of these regulatory laws and programs contributed an estimated 9.75 + 1.82 cents per pound (ready-to-cook weight) to the cost of producing and marketing turkeys in the early eighties. Economic regulation accounted for 3 cents per pound; environmental, health, and safety regulation 2.6 cents per pound; and social regulation 4.1 cents per pound. However, regulatory costs could be expected to range from 7.9 to 11.6 cents per pound, with even greater variations from yearly changes in policies and programs.