USDA officials told the Organic Trade Association’s policy meeting that the group should expect a series of organic regulations to be finalized before the end of the year. Politico says five rules are listed on the Department’s 2016 regulatory agenda. The rules include proposed standards to address a dairy cow’s transition to organic; aquaculture; beekeeping products; pet food; and the humane handling of livestock and poultry. The list doesn’t include an organic checkoff proposal that the Trade Association submitted earlier this year. The Association’s Executive Director hopes the Ag Department will release a checkoff program this summer.