A North Dakota judge is set to decide whether the process for who serves on the state’s Beef Commission is unconstitutional. The Beef Commission consists of nine members, including three beef producers, one cattle feeder, one dairy producer, one representative of a public livestock market and three at-large members, all appointed by the governor. The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association submits names for the beef producers and the association’s feeder council submits names for the cattle feeder. ADVERTISEMENTOf the 24 beef producer nominations since 2009, 21 were Stockmen’s Association or auxiliary group members at the time, and it’s unclear the membership status of the other three, Dube said. The law doesn’t require membership in the Stockmen’s Association or the Milk Producers Association, but commission members must be a North Dakota resident and a U.S. citizen actively engaged in the part of the industry they represent for five years, he said.