Food price-fixing settlements across beef, pork, broiler chicken, canned tuna, and turkey have produced billions of dollars in approved recoveries, and several remain open to claims or awaiting final approval in 2026. Whether you can collect depends on three things: what you bought, when you bought it, and where you bought it. Each case has its own class definition, deadline, and claims website, and businesses or consumers who qualify file directly with the settlement administrator at no cost.
Below is where each case stands and what the deadlines are.
Beef Settlements Open in 2026
The beef litigation is consolidated as In re Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation in the District of Minnesota, and it splits into three purchaser classes. Each has its own settlements and its own claim window.
Direct Purchasers (Businesses That Bought From the Packers)
If your business bought boxed or case-ready beef directly from the defendants between January 1, 2015 and February 10, 2022, you fall into the direct purchaser class. Two settlements apply:
- JBS settled for $52.5 million, with final approval granted August 31, 2022. Distribution of funds is planned to begin before the end of summer 2026.
- Tyson Foods settled for $82.5 million, which received preliminary approval on May 14, 2026. The claims deadline is November 30, 2026, and the fairness hearing is set for September 26, 2026.1Beef Direct Purchaser Settlement. Notice of Proposed Settlement
The case continues against Cargill and National Beef Packing.2Feedstuffs. Tyson Settles With Retailers in Beef Antitrust Lawsuit
Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchasers (Restaurants and Food Service)
Restaurants and food service operations that indirectly bought raw beef for commercial food preparation between January 1, 2015 and May 6, 2026 qualify. Tyson agreed to pay $47 million, but the settlement is still awaiting court approval and no claim forms have been issued; class members will be notified when filing opens.3Beef Commercial Case. Settlement Information Monetary eligibility is limited to businesses in designated “Repealer Jurisdictions,” which include roughly 30 states and the District of Columbia.4Beef Commercial Case. Frequently Asked Questions The deadline to object to or opt out of the Tyson settlement is August 10, 2026. The case continues against JBS, Cargill, and National Beef.5PR Newswire. Beef Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Settlement Notice
Consumer Indirect Purchasers (Grocery Shoppers)
Individuals who bought fresh or frozen beef at grocery stores between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019 fall into the consumer class. Tyson settled for $55 million and Cargill for $32.5 million, totaling $87.5 million. The court held a fairness hearing on May 26, 2026, and final approval is pending. The consumer claim deadline is June 30, 2026.6Overcharged for Beef. Consumer Indirect Purchaser Beef Litigation Only purchases of beef from chuck, loin, rib, or round primal cuts in qualifying states count; organic, Wagyu, and marinated beef are excluded.7Overcharged for Beef. Frequently Asked Questions
Pork Settlements and Their Status
In re Pork Antitrust Litigation (D. Minn.) has produced settlements approaching $208 million on the consumer indirect purchaser track alone, according to class counsel.8Hagens Berman. Pork Antitrust Litigation
For consumers, the class covers purchasers in designated Repealer Jurisdictions who bought raw pork for personal consumption between June 2014 and June 2018.9Overcharged for Pork. Consumer Indirect Purchaser Pork Litigation Smithfield’s $75 million and JBS’s $20 million settlements have final approval. Tyson’s $85 million settlement received preliminary approval in November 2025. Clemens settled for $13.5 million, Seaboard for $10 million, and Hormel for approximately $4.5 million.8Hagens Berman. Pork Antitrust Litigation
Direct purchasers have their own set: Tyson at $50 million (plus up to $2 million for administration), Clemens at $10 million, and Triumph Foods at $4 million. A second distribution of net settlement proceeds for the direct class is scheduled to begin in mid-summer 2026.10Pork Antitrust Litigation. Direct Purchaser Settlement Information
The commercial and institutional indirect class has a pending Tyson settlement of $48 million covering June 28, 2014 through June 30, 2018. No claim forms are available yet, and the deadline to object was July 14, 2026.11Pork Commercial Case. Tyson Settlement Information
Broiler Chicken: What’s Left to Claim
Most of the chicken money is already approved. In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ill.) has produced $203.35 million in court-approved recoveries for the end-user consumer class, including Tyson’s $99 million and Pilgrim’s Pride’s $75.5 million settlements (final approval December 2021) and a second round of $22.35 million with ten additional defendants (final approval June 30, 2025).12Cohen Milstein. In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation
The restaurant class (commercial and institutional indirect purchasers) is now fully resolved: Judge Thomas M. Durkin granted final approval of a $41.25 million settlement on July 31, 2025, bringing that class’s total recovery to more than $140 million.13Gustafson Gluek. Judge Grants Final Approval of Second Round of Settlements in Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation If you missed those claim windows, there is no further monetary claim here; the remaining piece against Agri Stats is injunctive relief only.
Canned Tuna: Payments Coming in 2026
In re Packaged Seafood Products Antitrust Litigation (S.D. Cal.) covered StarKist, Bumble Bee, and Chicken of the Sea. Total approved settlements exceed $216 million, with $152.2 million going to consumers (a $130 million settlement approved in November 2024 plus the earlier Chicken of the Sea settlement approved in July 2022) and $64.7 million to retailers and distributors.14Courthouse News Service. Judge Grants $216 Million Settlement in Yearslong Canned Tuna Antitrust Suit The consumer claim deadline passed on December 31, 2024. Payments on approved claims are expected during the second quarter of 2026.15Tuna End Purchaser Settlement. Settlement Status and Information
Turkey Settlements
Turkey claims run through two cases. In the direct purchaser action, Cargill agreed to pay $32.5 million; that claims deadline passed on April 21, 2025, and the fairness hearing was set for June 18, 2025.16Turkey Litigation. Direct Purchaser Settlement Notice
In In re Turkey Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ill.), the commercial and institutional indirect class has reached settlements with Cooper Farms ($562,500), Farbest Foods ($562,500), and Cargill ($4 million). The class covers entities in select states that indirectly bought turkey products for commercial food preparation between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016. Claim forms are not yet required; class members will be notified when filing opens. The deadline to object was November 6, 2025, with a fairness hearing scheduled for December 16, 2025. Butterball, Jennie-O, Hormel, Perdue, and Agri Stats remain in the case.17Turkey Commercial Case. Frequently Asked Questions
Closed Settlements Worth Knowing
Two large food price-fixing settlements have closed and are no longer accepting claims:
- Butter and cheese. A $220 million settlement with the National Milk Producers Federation, Dairy Farmers of America, Land O’Lakes, and Agri-Mark received final approval on April 27, 2020 in the Southern District of Illinois. The fund split 37% to a butter subclass and 63% to a cheese subclass. The claims deadline was April 23, 2021.18PR Newswire. Claim Deadline Announced in $220 Million Butter and Cheese Settlement
- Farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Norwegian producers Mowi, SalMar, Grieg Seafood, Lerøy, and Cermaq settled with a direct purchaser class for $85 million (September 2022) and an indirect purchaser class for $33 million. All denied wrongdoing.19Podhurst Orseck. Norwegian Fisheries Pay $85 Million to End Salmon Antitrust Case20Seafood Source. Norwegian Salmon Giants Reach USD 33 Million Settlement in Price-Fixing Lawsuit
Cases Not Yet Paying
Three newer food price-fixing cases are being watched but have no settlements and no claims process in place:
- Frozen potato products. Lawsuits filed in 2024 against Lamb Weston, McCain Foods, J.R. Simplot, and Cavendish Farms cover french fries, hash browns, tater tots, and other frozen potato products sold on or after January 1, 2021.21FRSCO. Frozen Potato Products Direct Purchaser Antitrust Class Action Summary
- Granulated sugar. In re Granulated Sugar Antitrust Litigation (D. Minn.) is in pretrial discovery. Judge Jerry W. Blackwell allowed claims to proceed against United Sugar and ASR Group (owner of Domino Sugar) and dismissed claims against Michigan Sugar and Louis Dreyfus.22Reuters. United Sugar, Domino Owner ASR Must Face Price-Fixing Case, US Judge Rules
- Shell eggs. In re Shell Eggs Antitrust Litigation was centralized in the Western District of Wisconsin in February 2026 before Chief Judge James D. Peterson, consolidating 19 pending actions against Cal-Maine Foods, Rose Acre Farms, Hillandale Farms, and others.23GovInfo. In re Shell Eggs Antitrust Litigation Transfer Order
How to File a Claim
Each settlement has its own administrator, eligibility rules, and deadlines, and the official settlement website for each case is where claims are filed. Several of the commercial and institutional indirect purchaser settlements have deferred their claims processes; class members will be notified at a later date when claim forms become available.
Third-party filing services operate alongside the administrators. MCAG (Managed Care Advisory Group), for example, helps businesses identify and file across multiple food industry settlements. MCAG is not a law firm or claims administrator; it works on a contingent-fee basis, charging a percentage of any recovery with no upfront fees.24MCAG Inc. Frequently Asked Questions The company says it has served over 320,000 businesses and recovered more than $330 million for clients since 2003.25MCAG Inc. Home You can also file directly with each settlement administrator at no cost, using the contact information in the official notice.