bird flu epidemic

The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states reached a $3.3 million settlement with Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch over allegations of colluding to inflate egg prices by manipulating price quotations. The companies will also donate 53 million eggs to food banks and nonprofits as part of the resolution, which requires court approval.

Three major egg producers, Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch, agreed to pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to resolve allegations of colluding to manipulate egg prices between June 2022 and March 2025. The companies coordinated bids to influence the Urner Barry Publications egg price index, leading to higher consumer prices, but none admitted wrongdoing under the settlement.

Three major egg producers—Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch—will pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to settle allegations of colluding to manipulate egg prices by coordinating bids with Urner Barry Publications. The settlement, reached with the U.S. Justice Department and 17 states, resolves claims that the companies artificially inflated prices between 2022 and 2025 without admitting wrongdoing.

The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states reached settlements with Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s Egg Ranch over allegations of price-fixing by coordinating bids to manipulate egg price quotations between 2022 and 2025. The companies will pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to food banks, with no admission of wrongdoing, as part of the agreement requiring antitrust compliance measures.