Farmers Fight Against Mandatory Cattle ID Tag (NPR) When the first U.S. case of Mad Cow disease was discovered six years ago, it prompted calls for a national system to track livestock from birth to slaughter. The Agriculture Department soon rolled out a voluntary program designed to identify animals and farms. So far, only about one in four cattle has an official ID tag, and the USDA says it needs more participation to make the program work. [News Source]

The Almanac — weekly (redOrbit) Today is Monday, July 13, the 194th day of 2009 with 171 to follow. The moon is waning. The morning stars are Neptune, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Uranus. The evening star is Saturn. Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include the Rev. [News Source]