$87.5M Beef Settlement Ends Antitrust Litigation Over Alleged Price-Fixing by Cargill, Tyson

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Cargill Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc. have agreed to a combined $87,500,000 settlement to end a class action lawsuit that alleged the beef processors colluded to limit the supply of beef in the market and inflate the prices, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

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The class action settlements with Tyson and Cargill received preliminary approval from the court on December 17, 2025. The deals cover all consumers who indirectly purchased (i.e., bought from a grocery store or supermarket, and not directly from the producers) for personal consumption fresh or frozen beef made from chuck, loin, rib or round primal cuts between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019 (the class period) in the following states/territories:

• Arizona;
• California;
• The District of Columbia;
• Florida;
• Illinois;
• Iowa;
• Kansas;
• Massachusetts;
• Maine;
• Michigan;
• Minnesota;
• Missouri;
• Montana;
• Nebraska;
• Nevada;
• New Hampshire;
• New Mexico;
• New York;
• North Carolina;
• North Dakota;
• Oregon;
• Rhode Island;
• South Dakota;
• Tennessee;
• Utah;
• West Virginia; and
• Wisconsin.

The settlement agreement specifies that beef products marketed as premium (USDA Prime, organic, 100% grass-fed, Wagyu, "American-Style Kobe Beef”), specialty (antibiotic-free, kosher, halal, certified humane), or processed (ground, marinated, seasoned, flavored, breaded, or cooked beef) are not included in the settlement.

The court-approved website for the Cargill and Tyson beef antitrust settlement can be found at https://www.OverchargedForBeef.com/.

Per the settlement site, Cargill and Tyson settlement class members who submit a timely, valid claim form are eligible to receive a one-time, pro-rated cash payout proportional to the amount of beef they purchased during the class period. Class members may elect to receive this payout via check or electronic payment, the site adds.

To submit a beef settlement claim form online, class members can head to this page and complete each field regarding contact information, products purchased, proof of claims, and payment information. Alternatively, class members may download a PDF of the claim form to print, fill out and return by mail to the address listed on the third page of the document.

Consumers may check if the beef products they purchased are covered by the deal on the settlement website by searching for the name of the product. Those who have questions about the class action settlement may also contact the settlement administrator for more information.

Cargill and Tyson beef settlement claim forms must be submitted online or by mail by June 30, 2026.

The court will determine whether to grant final approval to the Cargill and Tyson beef settlements at a hearing on May 12, 2026. Compensation will begin to be distributed to class members only after final approval is granted and any appeals are resolved.

The beef antitrust lawsuit alleged that several major processors, including Cargill and Tyson Foods, deliberately reduced the supply of beef in the market to raise prices and increase profit margins, effectively ceasing competition with each other, in violation of the federal Sherman Act and other state-specific antitrust laws.

Though a handful of manufacturers, including National Beef and JBS, were listed in the original lawsuit, only Cargill and Tyson have agreed to the settlement detailed on this page. Specifically, Cargill has agreed to pay $32.5 million, and Tyson has agreed to pay $55 million, totaling $87.5 million.

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