JBS USA Settles Third Pork Price-Fixing Lawsuit
A federal judge in Minnesota granted another class action pork price-fixing settlement between JBS USA and Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs (CIIPS) on April 15.
Judge John R. Tunheim of the US District Court of Minnesota accepted the $12.75 million settlement between the two parties, Meat + Poultry reports.
Some of the CIPPS include Longhorn’s Steakhouse, Sandee’s Bakery, Confetti’s, Ziggy’s BBQ Smokehouse & Ice Cream Parlor and Joe’s Steak and Leaf.
This follows a $20-million settlement in March to settle a consumer class-action lawsuit alleging the company conspired to fix prices for pork and a $24.5 million settlement to resolve parallel wholesaler claims as part of an agreement that got tentative approval in January from Judge Tunheim.
The initial lawsuits in 2018 accused major US meatpackers of collectively raising pork prices and exchanging detailed sensitive information through Agri Stats, Meat + Poultry reports. Other companies named in the original complaint included Agri Stats, Clemens Food Group LLC, Hormel Foods Corp., Indiana Packers Corp., Seaboard Foods LLC, Smithfield Foods Inc., Triumph Foods LLC and Tyson Foods Inc.
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