Farm Line kicks off BSE study (Eastern Ontario AgriNews) "Farmers harness the power of nature to make things grow" but the way they do it has changed since May 23, 2003 when Canada’s first case of BSE (Mad Cow Disease) was found. [News Source]

IL Gov. Blagojevich Signs Legislation to Expand State’s Ag Programs and Protect Natural Resources (Grainnet.com) Springfield, IL–- Governor Rod R. Blagojevich signed legislation on Aug 14 that will help expand the state’s agriculture programs and further protect Illinois’ natural resources. [News Source]

‘McDonald’s left us slim and healthy’ (Independent Online) Mary and Lee Humphrey have eaten a meal at their local fast-food outlet McDonald's for more than a decade. [News Source]

‘McDonald’s left us slim and healthy’ (Independent Online) Mary and Lee Humphrey have eaten a meal at their local fast-food outlet McDonald's for more than a decade. [News Source]

UK medics announce negative results for foot-and-mouth disease tests (Pravda) It turns out that the two new outbreaks of mad cow disease in Britain have become false. UK's chief veterinary officer, Debby Reynolds, stated that the tests on the sites in Kent and Surrey, where the outbreaks had been originally found, returned negative results. [News Source]

Target locked (Greater Baton Rouge Business Report) Bob Odom cut his political teeth with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture in 1960, when that old cowboy Jimmie Davis was governor and future state CEO Kathleen Blanco had just completed high school. [News Source]

A McDonald’s a day for 17 years (News 24 South Africa) An English couple in their 80s have been eating at their local McDonald's every weekday for 17 years, and say their diet has left them slim and healthy. [News Source]

British couple swears by McDonald’s after 17 years daily patronage (EARTHtimes.org) London - Mary and Lee Humphrey have eaten a meal at their local fast-food outlet McDonald's in the southern English town of Eastbourne every weekday for nearly 17 years, Britain's the Guardian reported Wednesday. The couple first fell in love with ... [News Source]

Premise registration continues on plan (Iowa Farmer) Editor’s note: On Nov.. 22, the Bush administration pledged not to make a planned National Animal Identification System mandatory. However, that has not derailed movement toward a voluntary tracking system. [News Source]