Markets 
It’s about time to bring home the bacon.
Eight major pork producers — including massive meat processor Tyson — are settling claims that it violated antitrust laws by unlawfully raising prices.
The lawsuit alleges that the major meat processors used Agri Stats — a data and consulting company — to exchange competitively sensitive information about pork prices, production and costs, which ultimately allowed the brands to monitor their competitors and then coordinate pricing and supply.
The supposed move made prices more expensive for consumers across the board.
The Justice Department alleged that Agri Stats unlawfully organized these information exchanges, a massive violation of antitrust law.
The companies — Agri Stats, Clemens, Hormel, JBS, Seaboard, Smithfield, Triumph, Tyson and other co-conspirators — deny all allegations of wrongdoing but have agreed to settle the claims by paying a combined sum of $117 million — with Tyson forking over the highest amount at $85 million.
To be included in the payments, consumers must have indirectly purchased any of the following pork products for personal consumption between June 28, 2014, and June 30, 2018:
Additionally, only 24 states are eligible for the cash.
States included in the settlement are Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia.
To receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a claim form online by Oct. 29, 2026 or send the form to the settlement administrator postmarked by that Oct. date.
Payment amounts will vary based on the number of timely and valid submissions filed by all members. Once the settlement is approved, cash will be distributed and those eligible can check the website for updates.
The hearing is set for December 11, 2026, so payments will typically be issued weeks after that.
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