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Wheat and soybean producers pay a small amount per bushel produced as a check-off. Funds are used for research, outreach, and crop promotion. Commodity organizations and Extension joined forces to develop multi-state educational outreach on spring wheat and soybean production. Participatory planning involved producers in developing these educational events. The financial resources and availability of contact information from the commodity groups combined with the knowledge base and teaching skills from Extension resulted in well attended, valuable educational events. "Speed" hands-on demonstrations were well received. Extension working together with commodity groups can be a model for other Extension programming efforts. (Contains 6 tables.)

Synthetic agrichemicals are used to minimize nutrient deficiencies and pests when developing and selecting modern small-grain cultivars. Some farmers believe that modern cultivars are not adapted to environments without these inputs, and old cultivars should be grown. Our objective was to determine the adaptability of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for production in certified organic environments. A single seed lot for 15 cultivars and two seed lots each for two others were used to establish 19 treatments evaluated for grain yield, protein content, kernel and volume weight, along with phenotypical growth traits on four certified organic fields in Minnesota and North Dakota in 2003 and 2004. The cultivars represented different development eras, but 11 were released since 1995. Interactions between environments and cultivars existed for the four grain parameters (P < 0.05), but some modern cultivars ranked high consistently for yield, protein content, and volume weight. For example, the modern cultivar Walworth produced an average of 500 kg ha-1 more grain than the highest yielding cultivar developed before 1970. Seedling vigor and other phenotypical growth traits did not explain consistent yield differences between cultivars. These results suggest that modern spring wheat cultivars are adapted to certified organic environments. The phenotypical growth traits considered in this study are not suited as primary selection criterion for cultivars in certified organic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication of a continuous improvement program in a large medical center was assessed using a formal benchmarking process with four non-health care organizations. Results indicated that continuous improvement must be integrated with the corporate strategic plan, must focus on customer satisfaction, and have active leadership support. A common framework should link different continuous improvement methodologies. Ongoing, open, multimedia two-way communication is required. Continuous improvement activities need to be integrated into all employees' daily work.

Many therapists are unsure of how to respond to reports of sexual abuse of patients by previous therapists. The results of strategies developed in Minnesota and other jurisdictions suggest ways to handle the reporting, management, and rehabilitation of offenders in therapist-patient sexual abuse cases.

State legislators and mental health professionals in Minnesota have been active in developing strategies to improve reporting, management, and rehabilitation of sexually exploitive therapists. In 1985 and 1986, the legislature criminalized sexual contact by a therapist with a current or emotionally dependent former patient, established sexual exploitation by a therapist as a statutory cause of action, and required that all licensed health professionals report to the Board of Medical Examiners any physician who engages in sexual or sexually suggestive contact with a patient. The Walk-In Counseling Center, a nonprofit agency in Minneapolis, has taken an active role in evaluating exploitive therapists for licensing boards and employers to determine their rehabilitation potential. Mental health professionals and lawmakers have also collaborated in the development of strategies for preventing sexual exploitation and abuse by therapists.