My hat is off to the Ranchers’ Rights Initiative directors for filing their lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the North Dakota Beef Commission’s appointment process.

The beef commission wields a multi-million dollar annual budget funded by producers across North Dakota, many of them choosing not to affiliate with cattle producer organizations.

Yet, the century code assigns nominating control of the majority of the commission’s board seats to a single cattlemen’s group and the code mandates that the governor appoint commission members from that organization’s nominees.

For years, unaffiliated cattle producers have been unsuccessful in asking the legislature to amend the law in a manner that would give all producers an equal opportunity to serve on the commission and have a voi

See Full Page