Coming Soon: $87.5M Beef Price-Fixing Settlement

Tyson Foods Inc. and Cargill Inc.

Consumers who purchased beef products for personal use between Aug. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2019, in certain states or jurisdictions, may qualify to submit a claim for a cash payment from a class action settlement. This settlement is part of the In re: Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation, a case currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Cargill Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc. have agreed to pay a combined $87.5 million to settle allegations that they participated in a conspiracy to limit competition and raise the price of beef products for consumers. Motions to preliminarily approve the settlements were filed in federal court on Oct. 6, 2025.

The settlements are the culmination of several years of litigation between the plaintiffs and Tyson and Cargill. However there are multiple defendants in the case that have not settled and will continue to litigate. The non-settling defendants are JBS USA Food Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland, Inc., and National Beef Packing Company, LLC.

Who is eligible for a beef indirect purchaser payout?

Class members are individual consumers or entities that meet the following criteria:

They indirectly purchased fresh or frozen beef made from chuck, loin, rib, or round primal cuts.

Indirectly purchased means the beef was purchased at a grocery store, supermarket, meat market or similar retailer, not directly from the defendants.

The purchase or purchases occurred between Aug. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2019.
Any claimed purchases were for personal consumption, and not for resale.
The purchase was made in one of these states or jurisdictions: Arizona, California, 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, or Wisconsin.

What products are excluded from the settlement?

The following beef products are not included:

Products marketed as USDA Prime, organic, 100% grass-fed, Wagyu, American-Style Kobe Beef
Specialty beef such as No Antibiotics Ever, antibiotic-free, kosher, halal, certified humane
Processed beef, including ground, marinated, seasoned, flavored, breaded, or cooked beef
Products containing ingredients other than beef (except for salt or water)

How much is the class action settlement payment?

Pro rata cash payment: Claimants will receive a cash payment from the net settlement fund. Payment amount will be determined by the beef purchases claimed, along with the total number of claims filed.

How to claim a class action rebate

To receive a payment, class members will be required to submit a claim form. The online and PDF claim form for printing will be made available on the settlement website after the settlement is granted preliminary approval.

Claim forms must be postmarked or submitted online by the deadline, which will be announced at a later date.

Is proof required to submit a claim?

No, supporting documentation will not be required to submit a claim. However, the settlement administrator may request additional information if necessary.

Payout options

Payment options will include:

Check mailed to the address provided
PayPal
Venmo
Walmart electronic gift card
Kroger electronic gift card
Amazon electronic gift card
Starbucks electronic gift card

$87.5 million beef price-fixing settlement fund

Tyson settled for $55,000,000 and Cargill settled for $32,500,000, for a total settlement fund of $87,500,000. The fund will cover:

Settlement administration costs: Capped at $1,772,000
Attorneys' fees: Estimated at $29,166,667
Attorneys' expenses: Up to $15,000,000
Service awards to class representatives: Up to $2,000 each
Payments to eligible class members: Remaining settlement funds

Important dates

Preliminary approval hearing: Date to be scheduled by the court in the near future
Notice date: Approximately 75 days after preliminary approval is granted
Claim deadline: To be determined after preliminary approval is granted
Final hearing: To be determined

When is the beef indirect purchaser class action settlement payout date?

Payments will be issued after the court grants final approval of the settlement and any appeals are resolved.

Why was there a class action settlement?

The antitrust class action lawsuit alleged that several major beef processors, including Cargill and Tyson, conspired to limit competition in the beef market, resulting in higher prices for consumers. Plaintiffs claimed that the companies entered into a market allocation agreement and stopped competing for market share, which allegedly increased their profit margins and the prices paid by consumers.

Tyson and Cargill deny any wrongdoing, but agreed to settle to avoid the expense and risk of continued litigation, and the possibility of a trial.

What happens next?

The court will schedule a preliminary approval hearing. Once the hearing takes place and the judge grants preliminary approval of the settlement, the claim deadline will be established and the claim form will be added to the settlement website.