Iowans are openly selling hemp cannabidiol, which the state says is illegal

Is cannabidiol legal in Iowa? The state says CBD products have to be manufactured under the Department of Public Health’s rules—rules that aren’t yet in place. But vendors argue they are legal because they have less than 0.3 percent TCH. While the argument goes on, consumers are buying CBD and recommending it to their friends and family because it is effective against pain. Read more at the Des Moines Register …

Cashier-free tech makes debut in San Francisco

Zippin, a tech start-up based in San Francisco, California, has launched a software platform that reportedly will end shoppers’ dreaded wait at the checkout stand. Zippin is showcasing its smartphone-based program at a concept store in San Francisco. Customers use their phones to enter the store, then cameras and shelf sensors monitor what they pick up. Customers pick up a receipt on their way out the door. Read more at SupermarketNews.com …

Global wheat supply to crisis levels; big China stocks won't provide relief

This year’s extreme drought has reduced wheat production and lowered reserves in exporting countries to their lowest level in 10 years. In the winter of 2007-2008, the lack of grain triggered food riots in Africa and Asia. Worldwide, plenty of wheat is available. Unfortunately, nearly half of it is in China, which is unlikely to export the crop. Read more at Reuters …

Norway has a radical approach to plastic pollution, and it’s working

Concerns about plastic waste on our lands and in our oceans is growing, prompting a rash of government and corporate moves that may or may not be useful. Why isn’t the United States looking to Norway for a solution? In that country, consumers recycle 97 percent of their plastic bottles, exchanging them in stores, gas stations or vending machines for cash or store credit. Read more at Huffington Post …  

Amazon quietly extended a program designed to help it sell more grocery items online

Amazon wants to offer its shoppers more groceries, and not just through Whole Foods Market. To achieve its goal, Amazon is offering third-party sellers a discount on listing fees when they put certain grocery items for sale: Grocery and gourmet items are subject to an 8 percent fee, rather than a 15 percent fee. The promotion, which was going to end in October, has been extended until December 2019. Read more at Business Insider …