The North Carolina Department of Agriculture issued a regula…
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture issued a regulation banning the use of state grades on closed containers of apples sold in the state. The regulation specified that the only grade that could be used was the grade approved by the United States Department of Agriculture. Apple growers in Washington objected to this regulation, noting that they had spent a considerable amount of money developing a grading system acknowledged by those in the industry as being superior to the federal grading system. North Carolina, which also produces apples for sale, has no state grading system. In their lawsuit, the Washington apple growers allege the regulation was motivated by a discriminatory purpose. Which of the following would not be helpful in demonstrating discriminatory purpose?