Tyson Faces Trial Over Turkey Price-Fixing Claims After Federal Court Ruling

The ruling, issued Monday, followed requests for summary judgment in litigation involving major turkey producers and a company that collects industry data. The court determined that buyers pursuing individual lawsuits could proceed with some claims against Tyson and another defendant, while other companies secured judgments in their favor, Law360 reported Monday.

The decision marks another development in a legal battle over allegations that poultry companies coordinated business practices to increase turkey prices, raising questions about competition and information sharing in the U.S. meat industry.

Allegations Center on Turkey Supply and Pricing

The broader litigation stems from accusations that turkey producers coordinated production restrictions and exchanged commercially sensitive information to influence prices.

According to previous reporting by Reuters, purchasers alleged that major suppliers worked together to reduce turkey production and increase prices between 2010 and 2016. The litigation involves several prominent industry participants, including Butterball, Hormel Foods and Perdue Farms.

Related: Tyson, Cargill Challenge Class-Action Ruling in Cattle Price-Fixing Case

The plaintiffs contend that the alleged coordination undermined competition and forced purchasers to pay artificially elevated prices.

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The defendants have contested the allegations, and the continuation of certain claims does not establish that any company violated antitrust law.

Monday’s decision distinguishes between claims that a jury may consider and those that the court concluded could not proceed, according to Law360. The publication’s publicly accessible report did not identify all the defendants affected by the individual rulings.

Previous Settlements Shape Litigation

The latest decision comes after several companies reached settlements in related proceedings.

Tyson previously agreed to pay $4.62 million to resolve claims brought by a class of direct turkey purchasers, including wholesalers and distributors. A federal judge approved that agreement in February 2022, according to Law360. Tyson denied wrongdoing in connection with the settlement.

In January 2025, a federal judge authorized two groups of turkey purchasers to pursue their antitrust claims collectively, Reuters reported. Those groups included direct purchasers and indirect commercial buyers, such as institutions and food-service operators.

At the time, the direct purchasers were seeking more than $1.6 billion in damages, according to Reuters.

The litigation has continued to evolve through settlements and judicial decisions. In July 2026, an Illinois federal judge preliminarily approved an $18.7 million agreement involving House of Raeford Farms Inc. and Prestage Farms, Law360 reported.

Source: Law360