Tyson and Cargill Beef Antitrust Class Action Settlement: $87.5M for Grocery Beef Buyers
Tyson and Cargill Beef Antitrust Class Action Settlement
Tyson Foods and Cargill agreed to a combined $87.5 million settlement ($55 million from Tyson and $32.5 million from Cargill) over allegations that major beef processors agreed to limit supply and inflate consumer prices. Consumers who bought qualifying fresh or frozen beef at grocery stores in 27 listed states or D.C. between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019 can file a single claim for a pro rata cash payment.
Settlement fund
$87.5M
Common fund
Top payout
Pro rata
Equal share of net fund based on beef purchased
Claim deadline
Jun 30, 2026
53 days remaining
You may be owed money
Filing is free and takes a few minutes. Deadline: Jun 30, 2026.
Do you qualify?
You are a Class Member if ALL of the following apply:
- You are a person or entity who indirectly purchased qualifying beef products for personal consumption between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019. Indirectly purchased means you bought the beef from a grocery store or supermarket, not directly from one of the defendants.
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The beef was fresh or frozen and made from one of the qualifying primal cuts. Use the product lookup tool to confirm specific products before filing.Qualifying primal cuts:
- Chuck
- Loin
- Rib
- Round
- The beef was purchased in one of these 27 states or D.C.: 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.
- Excluded: Premium beef (USDA Prime, organic, 100% grass-fed, Wagyu, American-Style Kobe Beef); specialty beef (No Antibiotics Ever, antibiotic-free, kosher, halal, certified humane); and processed beef (ground, marinated, seasoned, flavored, breaded, or cooked) are not included.
- Excluded: Defendants and their officers, directors, employees, controlling affiliates, legal representatives, heirs, and assigns; federal, state, and local governmental entities; the judge presiding over the case; the judge's immediate family and judicial staff; and any juror assigned to this lawsuit.
Not sure if you qualify? Call the Settlement Administrator toll-free at 1-877-283-8711, or visit OverchargedForBeef.com.
What happened
Consumer Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs allege that the four largest U.S. beef processors, JBS, Cargill, National Beef, and Tyson Foods, entered into a market allocation agreement and stopped competing against each other for market share. The plaintiffs claim the purpose and effect of that agreement was to expand the processors' margins and increase the prices consumers paid for beef at grocery stores during the August 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019 class period.
Tyson and Cargill deny the allegations and deny any wrongdoing or liability, and the Court has not ruled that any defendant did anything wrong. The Settling Defendants agreed to pay a combined $87.5 million ($55 million from Tyson, $32.5 million from Cargill) and provide certain non-monetary relief to resolve the consumer indirect purchaser claims and avoid the cost, risk, and time of continued litigation. The case continues against the non-settling defendants, JBS USA Food Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland, Inc., and National Beef Packing Company, LLC.
How to file a claim
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1
Confirm you are eligible
You must have indirectly purchased qualifying fresh or frozen beef (chuck, loin, rib, or round primal cuts) at a grocery store or supermarket for personal consumption between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019, in one of the 27 listed Repealer Jurisdictions or the District of Columbia. Premium, specialty, and processed beef are excluded.
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2
Tally up your purchases
Each Class Member who submits a valid Claim Form receives a pro rata (equal share) cash payment from the combined $87.5 million fund. The amount is proportional to the qualifying beef you purchased during the class period. A single Claim Form covers both the Tyson and Cargill Settlements; you do not need to file separately.
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3
File online or by mail
Submit the Claim Form online at overchargedforbeef.com by June 30, 2026, or mail a paper Claim Form (postmarked by June 30, 2026) to: Consumer Indirect Beef Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 3605, Portland, OR 97208-3605. The Settlement Agreements, Long Form Notice, FAQ, and product eligibility lookup tool are available at OverchargedForBeef.com.
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4
Receive your payment
Payments are issued after the Court grants final approval at the May 26, 2026 Fairness Hearing and any appeals are resolved. The appeal process can take a year or more. No follow-up is required once your claim is submitted.
Key dates
- Mar 30, 2026 Opt-out & objection deadline Upcoming
- Jun 30, 2026 Claim filing deadline Upcoming
- May 26, 2026 Final Fairness Hearing (3:00 p.m. CDT, in person or by video/telephone) Upcoming
- TBD after final approval Payments issued to claimants Pending
The Fairness Hearing is scheduled for May 26, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. CDT before the Honorable John R. Tunheim at the U.S. District of Minnesota Courthouse, 300 South Fourth Street, Courtroom 14E, Minneapolis, MN 55415, with a remote option by telephone or video. The Court may move the hearing, so check OverchargedForBeef.com for updates before traveling.
Where the money is going
The combined $87.5 million is a non-reversionary common fund. Attorneys' fees, expenses, service awards, and notice/administration costs come out of the fund before pro rata payments are calculated for class members. Class Counsel will request fees up to 33 1/3% of the gross fund (plus accrued interest), expenses up to $15 million, and service awards of up to $2,000 per class representative.
All amounts listed above are pending and subject to final court approval at the Fairness Hearing. The Court may award less than the amounts requested. Because the class is national in scope and payments are pro rata, individual payouts will depend on total claim volume and on the qualifying beef purchases reported on each claim.
Common questions
How much money will I receive?
Each valid claim is paid a pro rata share of the net fund (the combined $87.5 million minus court-approved attorneys' fees, expenses, service awards, and administration costs). The amount is proportional to the qualifying beef you purchased during the August 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019 class period. The Notice does not promise a specific dollar figure per claimant, and actual payments will depend on how many valid claims are submitted. A single Claim Form covers both the Tyson and Cargill Settlements.
Do I need to submit proof of purchase?
The public Notice and FAQ at OverchargedForBeef.com do not list specific receipt or proof-of-purchase requirements for the basic claim. Claimants will use the online Claim Form at overchargedforbeef.com to attest to their qualifying beef purchases. Review the form for any verification fields. Class Members who do not have records can still attest to typical household beef purchases during the class period.
What if I didn’t receive a notice?
Yes. You can still file a claim if you did not receive a direct email or postcard notice. Notice in this case is being distributed primarily by publication, online media, and email to identified consumer lists, since the defendants do not have direct customer records for retail purchasers. If you bought qualifying fresh or frozen beef at a grocery store in one of the 27 Repealer Jurisdictions during the class period, you are likely a Class Member. For help, visit OverchargedForBeef.com or call the Settlement Administrator toll-free at 1-877-283-8711.
Does staying in the class affect my right to sue later?
Yes. Unless you mail a written exclusion request postmarked by March 30, 2026, you will be bound by the Tyson and Cargill Settlements and you will release the legal claims at issue in this lawsuit against Tyson, Cargill, and the other Released Parties. That means you cannot sue Tyson or Cargill separately for the same alleged price-fixing conduct. You are not releasing claims against the non-settling defendants (JBS USA Food Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland, Inc., and National Beef Packing Company, LLC). The full release language is in Paragraphs 14-15 of each Settlement Agreement.
When will payments be sent out?
The Court will hold the Fairness Hearing on May 26, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. CDT before Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis. Payments will only be issued after the Court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved. The appeal process can take a year or more. No action is required after a valid Claim Form is submitted; check OverchargedForBeef.com for updates.
Dapeer Law, P.A.
Consumer class action attorneys based in South Florida. We track settlements so you don’t have to.
Similar open settlements
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Dapeer Law, P.A. is not the administrator of this settlement and is not affiliated with Tyson Foods, Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., Cargill, Inc., and Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions (the Settlement Administrator), or Class Counsel Class Counsel of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and Class Counsel of Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP. The case is In re: Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation (Consumer Indirect Purchaser Actions), Case No. 0:22-md-3031 (JRT/JFD), pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota before the Honorable John R. Tunheim. Class representatives are Kenneth Peterson, Jason Falbo, Sharon Dawson-Green, Lisa Melegari, Cindy Abernathy, Andrew Cohen, Marcelo Lopez, Stacey Troupe, Eric Gauchat, Sharon Killmon, Karen Carter, Charlie Morgan, Brent Rasmussen, David Renz, Kent Winchester, Brenda King, Robert Trepper, Michelle Oversen, William Gee, Jacquelyn Watson, John Shupe, Martin Jarmulowicz, Harold M. Nyanjom, Mark Sperry, Dan Campbell, Craig Margulies, Lindsey Lemoi, and Leigh Tiller. Tyson and Cargill denies wrongdoing. This website is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
