MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Virtual fencing technology from Halter gains support from Montana ranchers and officials

  Virtual fencing acts sort of like an invisible fence for dogs would, where cows wear a collar that beeps and then gives a light shock to them as they approach a boundary set by GPS.

• Montana Farmers Struggle with Rising Fertilizer Costs

  Geopolitical conflicts and supply disruptions are driving fertilizer shortages and price hikes, adding pressure to Montana’s agricultural sector. Experts warn these challenges could impact crop yields and food prices, urging close monitoring and policy action.

• Restaurants may not be plentiful out here, but they’re important to rural communities. So let’s not forget the challenges they face doing business in the boondocks.

  there are some simple things we can do to show rural restaurants and their employees our appreciation. Here are five.

• Local people, local ideas: Market aims to harness Mineral County’s creativity in Montana

  “Let’s showcase what we have in Mineral County,” the market’s operator Jelena Banks said. “Our goal was just to create market access for our local artisans and agricultural producers.”

Missoula, Montana Chamber of Commerce

• Diversified Plastics in Missoula merges with rubber manufacturer, widens reach – Career Opportunities

  The company will now be known as Diversified Plastics Industrial Solutions. It will continue to operate from Missoula with the same leadership team and workforce, the company stated.

City of Bozeman Economic Development

• Montana State Students Shine on the National Stage at the 2026 AMA International Collegiate Conference

  Montana State(Bozeman) consistently punching well above its weight on the national stage. MSU’s AMA chapter has now built a multi-year track record of competing with and beating programs from much larger institutions; AMA is open to all students.

Great Falls Montana Development Alliance

• Montana Energy Business Alliance – 4/13 – Great Falls

  Energy experts will address the challenges Montana faces, as well as remedies required to keep Montana among the most attractive states for business investment. The event format is networking, buffet dinner, keynote speakers, and an industry panel.

• GFDA Upcoming Business Trainings and Events

  Nominate a Female Business Owner for an award a the 15th annual Fire Within Awards!

Prospera Business Network

• PROSPERA = 2026 Events and Trainings

  Register now for Contracts 101 for Business Owners: What to Know Before You Sign! April 14th

• Prospera Announces Business Ignite Luncheon Speakers

  Prospera is excited to announce the speaker line up for this year’s Business Ignite Luncheon. The Business Ignite Luncheon has become a signature event for Prospera showcasing the remarkable initiatives and innovations that are happening in the community. This gathering is designed to showcase individuals from diverse backgrounds and the projects, companies, and initiatives they are leading.

University of Montana College of Business

• University of Montana College of Business to Host Inaugural Women in Business Symposium – 3/27 – Missoula

  Designed to inspire, connect and empower students, professionals and community members, the symposium will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers, networking opportunities and career-focused sessions for students throughout the day.

Montana Business

• Great Falls-based Vision Net utilizes edge data centers to reduce grid impacts and improve AI latency

  Vision Net, a statewide fiber optic network provider headquartered in Great Falls, operates a half dozen data centers in Montana. The company shares a vision that could lessen the effects of large-scale hyperscale data centers. “We’ve been in the data center business a little over 20 years now,” company president and CEO Rob Worden said.

• America’s wealth gap is exploding. Should the rich pay more? Californians want to tax billionaires. They’re threatening to leave.

  The Excerpt podcast examines the surge in U.S. wealth inequality and evaluates several state‑level wealth tax proposals—from California’s one‑time billionaire levy to Washington’s income surcharge, New York’s planned increase, and Massachusetts’s existing surtax—while discussing projected revenues, public opinion, and worries that high‑net‑worth individuals might relocate.

• Mutated viral COVID variant found in US for first time in SFO traveler

  This mutated version of the COVID-19 virus contains genetic changes on a key protein that can help it hide from immune cells, even in vaccinated individuals.

• Montana Career Opportunity – Director of Technology Transfer, Office of Research and Creative Scholarship – University of Montana

  The University of Montana invites applications for the Director of Technology Transfer to lead the Technology Transfer Office, within the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship.

• This single ChatGPT prompt can do hours of market research in minutes—here’s how

  AI is a powerful way to do market research. A big update from ChatGPT makes things even easier.

• A Booming City Tucked Between National Parks Was Crowned ‘Best Place To Live In Montana’ For 2026

  Nestled along the Rocky Mountain foothills, Helena has been ranked the best place to live in Montana by U.S. News & World Report.

Visit Montana

• How a fun nature app aids science. Are you using iNaturalist to identify plants, animals and insects?

  The iNaturalist cellphone app not only helps users identify plant, animal and insect species; it also provides invaluable data to scientists studying biodiversity, species decline, and habitat loss. It also provides opportunities for fun: David Pogue joins iNaturalist fan Martha Stewart in a “bioblitz” – a timed competition with other users to spot and ID species.

Funding and Building your Montana Business

• 5 AI projects every solo business owner should try

  From creating content to accountability check-ins, AI can help.

Montana’s 21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• Apply for summer QCaMP, attend a free Webinar, learn about careers and more.

  These Quantum education and workforce development programs are led by the MSU Science Math Resource Center as part of Montana State University’s QCORE.

• How did Iceland reduce drug and alcohol abuse by its youth from 42% to 5%?

  In the late 1990s, Iceland had one of the worst teenage substance abuse rates in Europe. Nearly half of all 16-year-olds had been drunk in the past month. Education campaigns weren’t working. Warnings weren’t working. So they tried something completely different.

2025 Montana Legislature and Politics

• New federal fire agency will also address wildfire fuels, officials tell Montana lawmakers

  “Frankly, everybody has a lot of serious questions about this new U.S. Wildland Fire Service,” said Sen. Willis Curdy, D-Missoula, who was himself a longtime wildland firefighter.

VR/AR, Blockchain, Bitcoin, Artificial Intelligence, The Internet of Things and Montana

• Data center restrictions signed into South Dakota law after push for incentives failed

  After lawmakers rejected incentives for large data centers, Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a bill that puts new limits on them.

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