Anne Bucher  |  September 6, 2016

Category: Closed Class Actions

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

This settlement is closed!

Please see what other class action settlements you might qualify to claim cash from in our Open Settlements directory!

milk price-fixing settlement

UPDATE 4:

  • Top Class Actions viewers reported this settlement paying out a second distribution of up to $18.90 as of early January 2022.
  • Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got paid!

UPDATE 3:

  • Top Class Actions viewers reported this settlement paying out up to $7.61 as of late September 2021.
  • Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got paid!

UPDATE 2:

  • According to the settlement website and court documents, digital settlement payments in the Fresh Milk settlement will will be distributed starting Sept. 20, 2021.
  • Paper checks are scheduled to go out Sept. 27, 2021.

UPDATE:

  • On April 27, 2021, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the fresh milk products price-fixing settlement.
  • There is a 90-day period before the appeal is final, and then the processing of claimant payments will begin.
  • A payment date has not yet been released.
  • Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.

National Milk Producers Federation aka Cooperatives Working Together (CWT), Dairy Farmers of America Inc., Land O’Lakes Inc., Dairylea Cooperative Inc. and Agri-Mark Inc. have agreed to settle an antitrust class action lawsuit that accuses them of engaging in a conspiracy to fix milk prices.

If you purchased milk or other fresh milk products (including half & half, cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt or cream) since 2003, you may be entitled to payment from the milk products class action settlement.

If approved, this antitrust settlement will resolve a class action lawsuit that accuses the defendants of participating in a nationwide conspiracy to limit the production of raw farm milk by slaughtering cows prematurely, causing the price of milk and other fresh milk products to increase.

CWT was developed by the National Milk Producers Federation with the stated purpose of strengthening and stabilizing milk prices. Founded in 2003, the CWT reportedly involves dairy producers located throughout the United States which produce close to 70 percent of the nation’s milk.

According to the milk antitrust class action lawsuit, the dairy farmers participating in the alleged antitrust conspiracy with CWT agreed to prematurely slaughter the dairy cows in their herds and, as of Apr. 1, 2009, they agreed not to reenter the dairy farming business for at least one year.

“The principle purpose and effect of this contract, combination and conspiracy has been to reduce the supply of milk, eliminate competition, and significantly reduce the number of dairy farmers competing in the market in order to increase the price of raw farm milk,” the milk products price-fixing class action lawsuit states.

The defendants deny the allegations but agreed to settle the fresh milk products class action lawsuit to avoid the expense and uncertainty associated with ongoing litigation.

The fresh milk products price-fixing settlement received preliminary approval on Aug. 25, 2016.

If you would like to object to or exclude yourself from the milk products antitrust class action settlement, you must do so no later than Oct. 28, 2016.

Who’s Eligible

If you, since 2003, purchased milk or other milk products (including half & half, cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt or cream) when you were a resident of one of the following states, you may be entitled to payment from this milk price-fixing class action settlement:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • District of Columbia
  • Kansas
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Vermont
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin

NOTE: To be eligible for benefits from this class action settlement, you must have purchased the milk products from a grocery store or other retailer, not directly from one of the defendants. The products must not have been purchased for resale.

Schools, after-school programs and other entities who bought milk for their students/participants, but didn’t charge them for it, are eligible to file a claim for this class action settlement. However, governmental entities are excluded from the Class.

Potential Award

Varies.

The proposed settlement will offer a total of $52 million in compensation to Class Members. The actual amount of compensation each Class Member can expect to receive depends on how much milk was purchased for their household, and how many total claims are filed.

Proof of Purchase

N/A. Claimants must confirm that they were residents of one of the applicable states at some point in time between 2003 and the present and that they purchased milk or milk products during that time period. Claimants must declare under the penalty of perjury that all information they submit in the Claim Form is true and correct to the best of their knowledge.

Claim Form Deadline

1/31/2017

Case Name

Matthew Edwards v. National Milk Producers Federation, Case No. 4:11-cv-04766-JSW, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Final Hearing

12/16/2016

UPDATE: The Fresh Milk Products Pricing-Fixing settlement was granted final approval on June 26, 2017.  There is a 30 day period in which appeals can be filed.  As long as appeals are not filed, the estimated date the administrator is going to notify claimants via email to select their online distribution method is July 31, 2017.  The estimated date for payment distribution is September 11, 2017.  Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more.  

UPDATE 2: On July 17, 2017, an appeal was filed in the fresh milk price-fixing settlement. This means payment disbursement could be delayed. Keep checking this article as we will post updates as soon as we learn more.

Settlement Website
Claims Administrator

Fresh Milk Products Antitrust Litigation
P.O. Box 43430
Providence, RI 02940-3430
1-877-417-4561
info@BoughtMilk.com

Class Counsel

HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP

Defense Counsel

Counsel for Agri-Mark Inc.:
Jill M. O’Toole
SHIPMAN & GOODWIN LLP

Counsel for Dairy Farmers of America Inc.:
Steven R. Kuney
WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY LLP

Counsel for Land O’Lakes Inc.:
Nathan P. Eimer
EIMER STAHL LLP

Counsel for National Milk Producers Federation:
Kenneth P. Ewing
STEPTOE & JOHNSON LLP

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.

226 thoughts onFresh Milk Products Price-Fixing Class Action Settlement

  1. Denise Kittrell says:

    Wonder if you lived in Tennessee and moved back to ga.

  2. Michele Jackett says:

    Ok so it only asks for name & email……how do you get rest of form?
    What am i missing??

    1. B says:

      that’s it, just that , then when you get the email at the very end saying you have money in about a year or so let it go in to PayPal or Google wallet etc. maybe we will get paid ,not sure anymore

    2. Kim says:

      Michele, If you click on….Click here To File A Claim… You wont be filing a claim, unless after you read info you decide to do your OWN claim n not be included in this claim, But it will answer most, if not, all your questions you may have.

    3. Melissa Teeter says:

      If you logged in an account as a member they already have your info to where to send a check or coupons. Thats why they ask you to sign up. So you’re not constantly filling out applications. Once you add your name to a claim the site then sends your info to the right places for attorneys.

  3. B says:

    oh forgot to mention she said they run the ip address that is what is telling them the info for the state, then they want to verify if you are not in that state, with the national what ever last known address data base , I am confused ,,,,I think she is to. and if I am not in that data base am I denied ??????? Again lots of john smiths out there

  4. B says:

    The lady told me what mike said above about payment and she said they will verify to some kind of data base to see if that person had a change of address registered with the postal service it started with National something- she talked so fast.

  5. Don't Be Fooled! says:

    Sounds like an elaborate plan to get people bank account info. Because that’s basically all they ask for. Don’t fill out the form and don’t give away any banking info. DON’T GET SCAMMED!!

    1. Deanna says:

      This site is a legitimate site and does not collect anyone’s bank account information. You are sadly mistaken if you feel anything listed on this site is a scam!

    2. Morgan says:

      I am UDDERLY disappointed that you didn’t emphasize the potential milk pun you made.

    3. Carlos says:

      what are you talking about they dont ask for your bank info.

      1. Jennifer Power says:

        I didn’t see anywhere ask8ng for my bank info

    4. DEBBIE says:

      They have never asked for bank acct. info. You must never have used this site before.
      It’s not a SCAM, you need to read it better.

    5. #Iwantmycheck says:

      Yes, Milking is right! This is odd. It would be simpler to submit a $10.00 check and be done. This is a strategy to ensure less people submit the claim.

  6. Mike Jones says:

    If final approval is granted to the settlement, Class members who have filed
    valid and timely claims will receive cash payments distributed directly into an online account of their choosing, e.g.,
    Amazon, PayPal, or Google Wallet account.

  7. unthinkable says:

    The claim form is eight pages…this is a strange one.trying to print the claim form…

    1. MM says:

      This is a strange one, it don’t ask for much, how do they know where you live and how much milk you drink. and where to send check, is they going to send a email to your email. I wonder is there a limited. Oh Boy! where will this one take us.

      1. Kim says:

        It answers all your questions if you click on, to file a claim… Which under my last comment i forgot to add that you have done all you need to do at this point n noone will get any further info until after Final decision is granted in Dec i believe it says under To File A Claim…and also all the forms someone is talking about is for those who choose to not be included in this class action suit but there OWN suit, hope this is helpful n Definetly do not believe anyone is being scammed.

  8. Marsha says:

    If you drink a certain amount in a week…Yes….you could say how much you drank in a year….the answer is easy!

  9. josh says:

    Why doesn’t it ask for our address to send the check to? lol… It doesn’t even ask how much milk we drank?

    1. JOY says:

      Exactly Josh,I emailed the claims administrator to see what’s going on with this,I checked my email to see if my claim number was sent there but NO NOTHING.

    2. Kim says:

      It will give you general pay out amounts if you read info by clicking on… To File A Claim… Most of the questions being asked on here with peoples Replies are answered there. Hope its helpful for you.

    3. ROCCOA CONFORTIJR says:

      JOSH 1 GALLON A WEEK X 4 WEEK = 4 GALLON X 48 GALLONS PER YEAR X-CLOSED TO 5000 GALLON AT 4.99 LET SEE CHECK IN NY LAND O LAKE IS 4.99 –LOL OVER SEVEAL THOUSAND DOLLORS

      1. Jd Lee says:

        Exactly! Plus yogurt, cottage cheese, half & half

      2. Angie M says:

        $ 4.99 a gallon? Damn!!! I live here in MI and it’s about $ 2.50/gal.

      3. Calendar Guru says:

        You realize there are 52 weeks in a year, not 48 right?

    4. Ladena Scott says:

      No! Too much to count so they don’t ask

  10. ROCCOA CONFORTIJR says:

    WHAT ABOUT NEW YORK A GALLON MILK COST 4.99 YOUR KIDDING THAT NOT RIGHT

1 2 3 16

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. By submitting your comment and contact information, you agree to receive marketing emails from Top Class Actions regarding this and/or similar lawsuits or settlements, and/or to be contacted by an attorney or law firm to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you if you qualify. Required fields are marked *

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.