The North Dakota Farm Bureau is awaiting a response from the state over their lawsuit filed in federal court challenging North Dakota’s corporate farming law. Farm Bureau President Darryl Lies says the court has determined the state has until the end of this month to reply.

He says his group contends the state law is unconstitutional and needs to be changed.

Lies says there are several problems with the current state corporate farming law, including its impacts on farm families.

Lies says the corporate farm law has also hurt dairy expansion in North Dakota. He says in 2000, the state had 350 dairies, but now that number is down to only 80.