Judge Approves $158.5M Southeast Raw Milk Class Action Settlement
By Kimberly Mirando
A federal judge has approved a $158.5 million class action lawsuit settlement over an alleged price-fixing conspiracy to control the raw milk market in the Southeast United States.
On May 17, 2013, U.S. District Judge J. Ronnie Greer approved the raw milk class action settlement as fair and reasonable.
“The quality of the work done by class counsel has been exceptional, not only with respect to the pleadings filed but also the oral advocacy during oral argument on various motions,” Judge Greer wrote in his approval order.
The settlement ends a 2007 class action lawsuit accusing Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Dean Foods Co., The Kroger Co. and 14 other defendants of conspiring to fix the price of raw milk across the Southeast. The alleged antitrust violations suppressed competition and caused Southeast dairy farmers to be paid less, according to the class action lawsuit.
Several settlements have been reached in the antitrust case, including The $158.5 million settlement reached in January, a $46 million settlement reached in March, and a $145 million settlement reached in 2012.
The case is In re Southeastern Milk Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 08-01000, in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee.
UPDATE: This settlement only covers dairy farmers who purchased Grade A raw milk within Orders 5 and 7. The deadline to file a claim was March 20, 2013. Consumers are not included in the Southeastern antitrust settlement.
Updated May 27th, 2013
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