Egg Producers To Pay $3.3M To Settle Price Fixing Claims

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states have reached settlement agreements with three major egg producers over allegations of that the companies illegally colluded in a multiyear scheme to raises prices. The companies — Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch — are accused of colluding between June 2022 and March 2025 to inflate egg prices. To resolve the states’ claims, the settlements require the companies to collectively pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs. They must also adopt antitrust compliance programs and stop communicating with competitors about pricing. The settlements still require court approval. Critics criticized the terms, saying they’re too lenient.