State constitutional amendment would protect farming, advocate says

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The president of the North Dakota Farm Bureau says a state constitutional amendment is needed to stop potentially harmful restrictions on farming and ranching.

Eric Aasmundstad says the farm group wants to put an initiative on the ballot in November 2012.

It is a one-paragraph constitutional amendment that says state or local laws can't restrict modern ranching and agricultural technology.

Aasmundstad says other states have approved restrictions on the size of cages for calves, breeding sows and egg-laying hens.

He believes North Dakota's livestock industry would be seriously harmed if similar laws were approved in the state.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger is reviewing the proposed constitutional initiative. It will need almost 27,000 petition signatures within a year to qualify for the ballot.

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