The White House wants researchers to focus on curbing the impact invasive plants, animals and insects have on the U.S. environment and economy. Earlier this month, with just a few weeks until his term ends, President Barack Obama signed an executive order committing to prevent the “economic, plant, animal, ecological and human health impacts that invasive species cause.” For instance, a population of zebra mussels were accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes and the infestation then spread into Mississippi River, the Arkansas River and Lake Champlain.

A package of bills intended to keep pets away from known animal abusers was signed into law Wednesday by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.  The bills passed the Legislature with strong bipartisan support in December. The bills allow Michigan animal shelters to conduct a criminal background check using the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) and determine whether someone has a criminal history of animal abuse before allowing adoption of an animal.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to build two giant tunnels to send Northern California water southward moved a step closer Thursday to final state and federal decisions, with the state’s release of a 90,000-page environmental review supporting the $15.7 billion project.  Brown’s administration is pushing for final federal and state approval of the 35-mile-long, 40-foot-wide tunnels, touted to ensure more reliable water deliveries to city and farm water agencies in Central and Southern California.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled in favor of the United States and New Zealand in the two countries’ dispute with Indonesia concerning trade restrictions on agricultural products from the U.S. and New Zealand. The WTO on December 22 revealed its findings in the dispute. Indonesia has 60 days to either accept the ruling or appeal it. WTO ruled in favor of all 18 of the complaints the U.S. issued against Indonesia, revealing that the restrictions were inconsistent with WTO fair trade rules. The restrictions involved U.S.

Despite earning 44 percent of the doctorates in agricultural sciences, women hold just 23 percent of the tenure-track faculty positions at U.S. land-grant institutions, according to a new study led by a research team at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.  Although the 23 percent is nearly double the 12 percent reported in 2005, females hold very few administrative positions in agricultural academia, the study shows.