Buy beef from 2014 to 2019? You may be eligible for a cash payment
- - Buy beef from 2014 to 2019? You may be eligible for a cash payment
Saleen Martin, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 1:51 PM
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If you bought beef between 2014 and 2019, you may be eligible for part of a cash settlement.
Multiple meat manufacturers have been accused in an antitrust class action lawsuit of entering a non-compete agreement to increase beef prices. As a result, customers impacted by these alleged practices may be eligible for compensation.
The lawsuit alleged that multiple food companies agreed to stop competing against each other for market share, allowing the companies to increase the price customers paid for beef between Aug. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2019, according to a website dedicated to the litigation.
Named in the federal lawsuit are JBS USA Food Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland, Cargill, Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, National Beef Packing Company, Tyson Foods and Tyson Fresh Meats.
According to the website, Tyson Foods, Inc. and Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. have agreed to settlements totaling $55 million, while Cargill has agreed to a $32.5 million resolution.
USA TODAY contacted Tyson Foods, who owns Tyson Fresh Meats, and Cargill on Friday, Jan. 2, but has not received a response.
A judge is scheduled to hold a fairness hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota at 11 a.m. CT on May 12, 2026, to rule whether these settlements will be approved.
Those receiving cash settlements will have to wait until the payments are approved and appeals end, a process that "can take time," lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote on the lawsuit website.
In October 2025, Tyson Foods separately agreed to pay $85 million to settle a consumer class action accusing the meat manufacturer of conspiring with rivals to inflate pork prices, Reuters reported.
Here's what beef buyers should know if they want a piece of the total $87.5 million cash settlement.
Beef is prepared for a customer in a grocery store on July 22, 2025 in Miami, Florida.Which products are included? And who's part of the lawsuit?
The lawsuit includes beef (fresh or frozen) made from chuck, loin, rib or round primal cuts, according to the lawsuit's website.
Some beef products are not included, such as:
Premium: USDA Prime, organic, 100% grass-fed, Wagyu, "American-Style Kobe Beef."
Specialty: No Antibiotics Ever ("NAE"), antibiotic-free, kosher, halal, certified humane.
Processed: Ground, marinated, seasoned, flavored, breaded, or cooked beef.
The class and their attorneys have created a searchable database to look up cuts of beef included in the lawsuit.
Consumers are part of the lawsuit if they indirectly purchased (i.e., from a grocery store) these products between August 2014 and December 2019.
What are consumers' options? And what are the deadlines?
According to the plaintiffs and their lawyers, customers have multiple options regarding the lawsuit.
Per the website, here are some options for consumers:
I want to get a cash payment. Customers who go this route must submit a claim form by June 30, 2026. They will receive a cash payment and will no longer be able to sue Cargill and Tyson over the claims in the lawsuit.
I want to opt out or exclude myself from the lawsuit. Customers can submit a written opt-out request by March 30, 2026. They will not receive a cash payment but will still be able to sue Cargill and Tyson on their own.
I want to object to the settlements. Consumers can submit a written objection by March 30, 2026. Consumers who object are still bound by the settlements, but objecting allows them to tell the court why they think the payments are unfair.
I don’t want to do anything. Consumers who take this route will not receive a cash payment and will be legally bound by the settlements, giving up their right to sue Cargill and Tyson later.
Customers wanting more information on the lawsuit can visit www.overchargedforbeef.com, call 1-877-283-8711, or write to: Consumer Indirect Beef Litigation c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 3605, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3605.
I want to submit a claim. How do I do that?
Consumers can download claim forms on the lawsuit website and mail them in, or submit the forms online.
Those wanting to submit the forms via mail must ensure the documents are postmarked no later than June 30, 2026, and send them to: Consumer Indirect Beef Litigation Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 3605, Portland, Oregon 97208-3605.
I want to speak at the hearing in May. Who do I contact?
According to the consumers and lawyers behind the lawsuit, those interested in speaking at the May 12 fairness hearing can request to do so by mailing a letter postmarked by March 30.
The letter must include:
Speaker’s name, current mailing address, telephone number and signature.
Indication that the letter is a “Notice of Intention to Appear in In re Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation, No. 0:22-md-03031.”
Consumers must send their letters to: Consumer Indirect Beef Litigation c/o Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 3605 Portland, Oregon, 97208-3605 or United States District Court for the District of Minnesota 300 South Fourth Street, Suite 202, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55415.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyson, Cargill reach $87.5M settlement. See who qualifies for payment
Source: “AOL Money”
