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Revett Minerals, a Spokane-based company that operates a copper silver mine at Troy, MT, said that last year was the best in the company's history, thanks to its 200 employees. The Troy Mine announced record production and projects that copper and silver could be extracted from the site for at least the next seven years. In 2011, the mine processed 1.4 million tons of ore, made almost $30 million in net cash. The mine first opened in 1981 with an expected 15-year lifespan, but closed in 1993, until Revett reopened it in 2005.

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A federal subsidy will shore up NaturEner in its efforts to pick up production on a 189 mega watt wind farm planned for the Shelby area. In order to qualify for the federal subsidy the company had to split the Rim Rock project into two phases.  The first phase, which is expected to be complete by the end of the year, will finish 126 wind turbines for a total of 189 megawatts of power. The project could eventually produce as much as 309 mega watts of energy. As many as 300 workers are expected to be on site by the summer. The energy that is produced will be transmitted on the Montana Alberta Tie Line.

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PrintingForLess.com located in Livingston has acquired certain assets of Southwest Color, LLC of Tucson, AZ. Andrew Field, CEO of PFL, stated, "Southwest Color is a great addition to our company and will be an important component for our future success and growth. We fully expect to explore further strategic acquisitions in 2012." Southwest Color has digital and variable data printing capabilities that support both companies. PFL offers short to medium run, offset printing. The company was the first e-commerce printing company.

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County Commissioners approved the site location of a proposed motor vehicle wrecking facility near Victor. The auto wrecking/recycling business, proposed by Clint Nickerson plans to open a recycling center and motor vehicle wrecking facility near Victor. The recycling business has already been licensed for operation.

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A new sewer for Bigfork is nearing completion. The design of the new sewage treatment plant came from Kubota in Japan, and is designed especially for smaller communities. It has been used in Europe and Canada. It is projected to cost between $8 million and $9 million.

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In Hardin, the Wilson apartment building, former location of Murdock Realty and Pederson Law Firm, will be the new location of The Bighorn Valley Health Center. The Center was begun three years ago by a group of local health care workers. Their purpose is to meet the unmet needs for health care in Bighorn County.

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The Glendive City Council is poised to impose for the first time every connection fees for water and sewer. Fees of $250 for each utility for any one applying for a building permit. The city is also considering implement impact fees, for the purpose of assisting the city with costs that new development may bring to public services.

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Developer Compass Wind and Judith Basin County Commissioners have signed a development agreement for the Spion Kop Wind Project near Geyser. Northwestern Energy intends to purchase the $86,000,000 wind farm.

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Richland Housing Authority in Sidney is awaiting final approval from the state for tax credits to build a $3.5 – 4 million project – Parkview Village – which will replace subsidized housing that was lost with the bulldozing of the former Community Services Building, in Sidney, last fall. The new, 20-unit facility will add even more affordable housing. It is being built by Mountain Plains Equity Group. Tenants of the facility will receive subsidies from the federal government under a program in which Montana receives about $2.5 million, in tax credits which are allocated to the Montana Board of Housing. As many as 18 projects are expected to be completed this year in the state, of which just four to six will get allocation.

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A company with plans to build a 20-megawatt wind farm near Shawmut, has been acquired by a company headquartered in China. Goldwind USA has purchased Volkswind, which is already permitted to proceed building the project. The power generated will be sold to NorthWestern Energy. Construction will begin by the end of 2012.

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Warm dry weather through the fourth quarter of 2011 increased hydraulic fracturing activity and rapidly increased oil and gas production in North Dakota. As a result, even with rig count up just slightly daily production increased almost 5%. Over 95% of drilling is still targeting the Bakken and Three Forks formations. The idle well count is now holding constant at approximately 300 above normal. This indicates that "fracing" services are now keeping up with drilling activity, but the industry needs to add more crews to catch up, according to ND Dept. of Natural Resources.

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The Bakken Housing Summit will be held May 16 and 17, in Williston, North Dakota. The challenge is to build 5,000 homes in Western North Dakota in the next 24 months. The lack of housing thwarts the ability to hire workers and is threatening the continued growth and development of the Bakken shale play. The energy industry is spending more than $4 billion in 18 months on capital investments including oil exploration, gas plants, pipeline infrastructure, and rail facilities.  In November, 2011, North Dakota had an unemployment rate of 2.9% with 19,627 job openings. The construction of housing has been happening, however. Between 2003 and 2011 there have been 2,866 new housing units built in Williston, a 48 percent increase, which includes 1,440 units in 2011. For more information go to http://www.BakkenHousingSummit. com (The 21st annual statewide housing conference will be held in Bismarck, on Feb. 8 and 9.)

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Researchers at Montana State University are seeing an increase in the number of samples of pulse crops containing significant amounts of the fungus blight Ascochyta over the past year. The findings represent an increase compared to what researchers found in the 2010 samples, particularly in the lentil crop. With pulse crops going into the ground soon, there is some confusion about the acceptable level of Ascochyta in a given crop. Ascochyta is a potentially serious fungal disease in pulse crops, including lentils, peas and chickpea. The disease can defoliate plants and spread rapidly. One way to prevent Ascochyta blight is to plant fungus-free seed. Growers can test seed lots for Ascochyta, by sending a sample to the MSU Seed Lab. 

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Opponents of a plan to relocate 68 wild bison have filed a lawsuit to halt the relocation of the bison in question to Indian reservations. The lawsuit states that the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks must develop a statewide management plan. A group of property owners, legislators and ranchers filed the lawsuit in Blaine County. The bison are currently being held in a government quarantine compound near Corwin Springs.

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Regarding cattle, the Chamber Ag Committee reports that light steers are higher priced now than last fall. Registered heifers are selling for over $1,000. High prices for cattle and market uncertainty are causing hay and silage to be in short supply. The latest count shows Montana with over 3.35 million head of cattle.

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A report from the Billings Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee claims that Montana is “the Bakken of barley” as the industry’s growth has shifted from the Dakotas to Montana. “Barley and sugar beet industries work together, when beet markets are strong, so are barley markets.” The wheat market has softened; predicting $6.75/bushel. Five transload facilities are being built on the hi-line in anticipation of grains being transported out of Canada. The report said that record prices are being seen for malt barley because of competitive markets.