Medtronic cuts 2,000 jobs worldwide, 500 in Minn.

MINNEAPOLIS — Medical device maker Medtronic confirms it is eliminating 2,000 jobs worldwide, including 500 in Minnesota.

Shares of Raven Industries fall on 1Q profit drop

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Shares of Raven Industries Inc. tumbled Monday after the industrial products maker said its fiscal first-quarter net income fell 26 percent, as sluggish economic conditions hurt sales at all of its businesses.

SD to hire video lottery consultant

PIERRE -- The South Dakota Lottery is hiring a Nevada company to suggest ways that video lottery play can be rejuvenated.

• Lottery

Idaho spud giant bets on biotech potatoes

BOISE, Idaho — A dozen years after a customer revolt forced Monsanto to ditch its genetically engineered potato, an Idaho company aims to resurrect high-tech spuds.

US boom transforming global oil trade

NEW YORK — The surge in oil production in the U.S. and Canada and shrinking oil consumption in the developed world is transforming the global oil market.

Data center sets up shop at NDSU

FARGO, N.D. -- Vaultas, a Minneapolis-based company, is setting up a state-of-the-art data center in a 47,000-square-foot building that is part of North Dakota State University’s Research and Technology Park in Fargo.

Evolution1 thrives in health care payment world

FARGO, N.D. - Fargo-based Evolution1 describes its software platform as the nation’s largest electronic payment solution for companies that offer health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts to pay for health care and the consumers who use them.

• Jeff Young, Tiffany Wirth, Matt Gustafson and Todd Reynolds

Bobcat to transform Bismarck site

BISMARCK, N.D. — Bobcat is breaking ground Monday on an addition to its facility at the Northern Plains Commerce Centre, transforming it from a warehouse to a research-and-development site.

Walters new VP of strategy at Aldevron

FARGO, N.D. – Brian Walters, who once headed the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp., has been named vice president of strategy for Aldevron, a local biotechnology firm.

• Brian Walters

$5 million bolsters drone test site bid

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- North Dakota’s bid to be one of six national test sites for unmanned aircraft will be bolstered with $5 million authorized by state lawmakers this past session, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said Thursday in Grand Forks as he signed a funding bill.

• Unmanned Aircraft System

AGCO continues to expand in Minn.

JACKSON, Minn. — AGCO Operations broke ground Tuesday on a new $42 million expansion project at its manufacturing facility in Jackson, marking a second major expansion in as many years for the manufacturers of Massey Ferguson and Challenger row crop tractors and Challenger track tractors, as well as application equipment.

• AGCO Groundbreaking

EERC cuts 8 jobs due to funding slowdown

GRAND FORKS — Because of a decline in research projects, the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks has eliminated eight of its 270 jobs.

ND John Deere dealer to chart new course

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- True North Equipment Co., a four-store John Deere dealer network based in Grand Forks, is charting a new course, shifting away from traditional store managers and focusing heavily on training.

• Duane Kautzman and John Oncken

A time for solar?

ST. PAUL -- Bills in the Minnesota House and Senate air to increase the use of solar systems in homes and businesses. Here's how they would work:

• Minn. aims to boost use of solar power

Minn. aims to boost use of solar power

ST. PAUL -- Minnesota could soon take another step ahead in the transition to renewable energy.

• A time for solar?