Jessy Edwards  |  October 6, 2021

Category: Food

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beef prices
(Photo Credit: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock)

Beef Prices Antitrust Class Action Lawsuit Overview: 

  • Who: A federal judge issued a ruling in a class action lawsuit facing top US meat producers JBS, Tyson, National Beef, and Cargill.
  • What: The judge gave the green light to claims that the companies conspired to inflate beef prices while lowering the cost of cattle.
  • Where: The litigation is pending in Minnesota.

Four major US meat packers must face claims they conspired together to force the price of cattle down and beef prices up in order to line their own pockets, a judge has ruled.

A federal judge in Minnesota ruled that a class action lawsuit filed in 2019 against JBS, Tyson, National Beef, and Cargill could proceed, Beef Magazine reports.

US District Judge John R. Tunheim said the plaintiffs — cattle producers who sold animals to the firms — plausibly made the argument that the defendants had breached antitrust laws.

The plaintiffs are suing under the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Packers and Stockyards Act and the Commodity Exchange Act.

“We are pleased the effort to restore pricing transparency and competitiveness to the cattle markets is moving forward in the courtroom,” National Farmers Union President Rob Larew reportedly said. 

“This case is nearly two-and-a-half years old, and we look forward to the next step in the litigation.” 

Class Actions Claim Consumers Paid High Beef Prices, Ranchers Paid Less for Cattle

The union is a plaintiff in the class action lawsuit alleging that, since 2015, the four packers have conspired to depress the price of fed cattle they purchased from American ranchers, thereby inflating their own margins and profits.

It seeks to recover the losses suffered by cattle farmers and sellers.

Last year, a group of grocers filed a similar class action lawsuit claiming Tyson Foods, Cargill, National Beef Packing, and JBS USA Food Company Holdings engaged in an illegal price-fixing scheme to inflate beef prices.

Another similar beef price-fixing class action lawsuit was filed in June 2020 against the same defendants.

Tyson and other poultry producers have recently paid out millions to end allegations of a chicken price fixing scheme that affected grocery stores, consumers, and even farm workers

Have you been affected by a change in beef prices? Tell us what you think about the alleged price-fixing in the comment section below.


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42 thoughts onTyson, Cargill Must Face Class Action Alleging Inflated Beef Prices

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