If you purchased fresh or frozen, uncooked turkey breast, ground turkey, or whole bird turkey products in the United States from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2016, for use in commercial food preparation, a class action lawsuit may affect your rights

CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

A federal court authorized this Notice. This is not a solicitation from a lawyer.

Settlements have been reached in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs against Defendant Agri Stats, Inc., and Processor Defendants Butterball, Cargill, Incorporated and Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation ("Cargill"), Cooper Farms, Inc. ("Cooper Farms"), Farbest Foods, Inc. ("Farbest Foods"), Foster Farms, Hormel, Jennie-O Turkey Store, House of Raeford, Perdue, and Prestage (together, "Defendants").

The lawsuit alleges Defendants and their coconspirators entered into an agreement to exchange competitively sensitive and non-public information about production plans and pricing data through Defendant Agri Stats and Express Markets International, Inc. ("EMI") (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agri Stats) to limit supply and increase prices in the turkey market. The Court has not decided whether Defendants did anything wrong, and Defendants deny any wrongdoing.

WHO IS INCLUDED?

The Certified Classes defined below apply to the Cooper Farms, Farbest Foods, and Cargill Settlements:

Injunctive Class: All entities in the Indirect Purchaser States that indirectly purchased fresh or frozen, uncooked turkey breast, ground turkey, or whole bird turkey products sold by Defendants in the United States during the Class Period, January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2016, for their own use in commercial food preparation.

Damages Class: All entities in the Indirect Purchaser States that indirectly purchased fresh or frozen, uncooked turkey breast, ground turkey, or whole bird turkey products sold by Defendants in the United States during the Class Period, January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2016, for their own use in commercial food preparation.

The Indirect Purchaser States are Arizona, Arkansas, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

In this lawsuit, injunctive relief means the Defendants would be required to stop the activities associated with any ongoing conspiracy to inflate Turkey prices on a nationwide basis. If granted, the injunctive relief will continue until it is clear that the alleged misconduct will not recur.

WHAT TURKEY PRODUCTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE LAWSUIT?

Turkey is defined as fresh or frozen, uncooked turkey breast products, ground turkey, or whole bird turkey products.

Turkey breast products exclude: (1) turkey breasts used to make ground turkey; (2) turkey breast tenderloins; (3) organic turkey breast products; (4) NAE or ABF turkey breast products; and (5) cooked or RTE turkey breast products.

Ground turkey products exclude: (1) ground turkey products made from turkey breasts; (2) ground turkey products made from turkey wings; (3) burgers, sausages, and patties; (4) organic ground turkey products; (5) NAE or ABF ground turkey products; and (6) cooked or RTE ground turkey products.

Whole bird turkey products exclude: (1) organic turkey whole bird products; (2) NAE or ABF turkey whole bird products; and (3) cooked or RTE turkey whole bird products.

WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE?

Cargill has reached a $4,000,000 settlement, and Cooper Farms and Farbest Foods have each reached separate $562,500 settlements in the lawsuit. In addition to these monetary payments, Settling Defendants have agreed to certain non-monetary relief. There will be no payments from the settlements at this time. You will be notified later of an opportunity to file a Claim Form. No money will be distributed at this time.

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

Do Nothing. If you do nothing and you are a member of the Damages Class, you may be entitled to money or benefits if available later for the Cooper Farms, Farbest Foods, and/or Cargill Settlements. You will give up your rights to sue the Defendants. You will be bound by any future judgments regarding the Defendants.

Object. You may object to the Cargill, Cooper Farms, and/or Farbest Foods Settlements and/or attorneys' fees by November 6, 2025.

The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing on December 16, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., to consider whether to approve the Settlements, attorneys' fees, costs, expenses, and service awards, and any objections. You or your lawyer may attend and ask to appear at the hearing if you object, but you are not required to do so.

This Notice is a summary. Learn more about the Settlements including how to object by visiting www.TurkeyCommercialCase.com or by calling toll-free 1-800-403-3089.

URL: www.TurkeyCommercialCase.com

SOURCE The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois