Filing Claims in $83.5M JBS Settlement

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- Ranchers who have claims to file in the $83.5 million settlement in a JBS anti-trust case have until Sept. 15, 2025, to get that done.

In February 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota granted preliminary approval of the settlement because of a class-action lawsuit filed in 2019 by the National Farmers Union, R-CALF USA and four individual ranchers who alleged that JBS took part in anti-competitive conduct in the cattle market.

The ag groups alleged in their lawsuit that Tyson, Cargill and National Beef Company leveraged their "consistent control" over the purchase of about 85% of fed cattle in the U.S.

The settlement classes covered by the proposed settlement include, subject to certain exclusions and conditions, all persons or entities within the U.S. that directly sold fed cattle for slaughter to Tyson, JBS, Cargill and/or National Beef from June 1, 2015, to Feb. 29, 2020, other than pursuant to a cost-plus agreement and/or a profit-sharing agreement, according to a news release from the National Farmers Union.

Also eligible are entities that held a long position in live cattle futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange prior to June 1, 2015, and then liquidated the long position through an offsetting market transaction at any point prior to Nov. 1, 2016.

The settlement website, www.CattleAntitrustSettlement.com, provides information for feeders and futures traders on how to file claims and how to object or opt out of the settlement.

"As noted in the claim form, any information feeders and futures traders submit in connection with their claim 'will be maintained confidentially and will not be made available publicly or to any defendant,'" NFU said in a news release.

The court has appointed a claims administrator who can answer questions about the JBS settlement, including any questions regarding how to submit a claim to share in the settlement. The administrator can be reached at 1-844-435-8844 or Info@CattleAntitrustSettlement.com.

The original lawsuit alleged that the companies conspired by paying lower fed cattle prices "directly to producer plaintiffs and members of the producer class than they would have in a competitive market."

The lawsuit alleged that "those transacting in live cattle futures and options, including certain plaintiffs, suffered significant harm as a result of defendants' conduct."

Read more on DTN:

"Ag Groups, JBS Reach $83.5M Settlement," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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