北达科他州法院10月23日裁定牛肉委员会提名程序违宪：每头牛2美元推广费制度保留
北达科他州伯利县俾斯麦消息：北达科他州南中央区法官Jackson J. Lofgren于10月23日作出判决，裁定州法中由4个农业组织独家提名州牛肉委员会9个席位中6席的条款无效。该条款构成「封闭类别」，违反州宪法第一条第21款禁止特权的条款；州长今后可直接任命委员并接受任何团体的推荐。判决10月27日经媒体报道公开。
判决同时维持了牛肉推广费制度（每头牛2美元，其中州留1.50美元），以及「参与生产者」资格要求（近三年领取过退款者不得担任委员）。本案原告为Graner、Maher、Heaton三名牧场主及其组织Ranchers Rights Initiative。
来源：GSM·美国
North Dakota Court Rules October 23 That Beef Council Nomination Process Is Unconstitutional; $2-Per-Head Checkoff Stands
BISMARCK, Burleigh County, North Dakota — On October 23, South Central District Judge Jackson J. Lofgren ruled that the state law giving four agricultural organizations the exclusive right to nominate six of the nine seats on the state Beef Council is invalid. The provision created a "closed class" in violation of the anti-privilege clause in Article I, Section 21 of the state constitution; the governor may now appoint members directly and accept recommendations from any group. The ruling was reported publicly on October 27.
The court upheld the beef checkoff (a $2-per-head fee, of which the state keeps $1.50) and the "participating producer" eligibility rule, under which producers who received a refund in the past three years may not serve. The plaintiffs were ranchers Graner, Maher and Heaton and their group, the Ranchers Rights Initiative.
Source: GSM · America
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：位于俾斯麦的北达科他州议会大厦（Quintin Soloviev 摄，CC BY 4.0，Wikimedia Commons）
