Bioethanol Push in the Philippines: The agriculture and energy departments are looking for cheaper local feedstocks to raise the bioethanol blend from 10% to 15%, aiming to cut gasoline prices and import dependence, but officials say the key hurdle is getting corn and other inputs at a price that makes ethanol viable. Farm Roads Funding Gap: In the Philippines’ 2027 budget talks, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. warned the proposed P16B for farm-to-market roads won’t cover the 55,000 km needed, after a much larger 2026 allocation. Food Safety Shock in the US: The FDA has upgraded the Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce cyclospora recall to a Class I event, with case counts now reported at 11,500 across 20 states. Trade Pressure on Farmers (Canada-US): Southwestern Ontario farm equipment sellers warn counter-tariffs and US tariffs could raise costs and weaken sales as the agricultural trade war intensifies. Risk Management for Dairy in New Zealand: StoneX won FMA approval to offer milk price risk management tools, targeting better hedging access for sharemilkers. Natural Farming Scale-Up in India: Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed progress toward expanding natural farming to 8.5M farmers by 2030, up from 2.4M currently. Global Halal Growth in Uganda: Uganda is moving to expand exports into the halal economy by tightening certification, skills, testing, and processing standards. Beef Import Debate in the US: Florida ranchers and farm groups criticize Trump’s expanded tariff relief for foreign beef trimmings, warning it could undercut domestic producers. Soil Science in Mozambique: FAO-backed SoilFER work is boosting Mozambican women scientists’ lab capacity to analyze soils and support higher productivity.