A federal judge gave an initial approval to a settlement between a consumer class and a poultry producer accused of conspiring with other industry leaders to fix the prices for chicken products.
Last month, Harrison Poultry agreed to a $2.8 million settlement with the Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchasers (CIIPPs) class. On Tuesday, Illinois federal judge Thomas M. Durkin approved the agreement.
According to court filings, none of the other parties were on the teleconference to object to the settlement, which is the eighth in the ongoing legal action.
Along with the monetary settlement, Harrison Poultry also agreed to provide cooperation to support the ongoing prosecution of the case. When combined with previous settlements, this brings the total recovery for the CIIPP class to $107.7 million.
Harrison is one of several poultry producers facing lawsuits from numerous classes of plaintiffs consolidated cases.
Earlier this month, Durkin said there is enough evidence for a jury to find it likely that poultry producers conspired to fix prices.
However, the judge narrowed the case to focus on allegations from the years 2008-2009 and 2011-2012., dismissing claims related to supply cuts in other years and manipulation of the Georgia Dock broiler price index.
He also dismissed Sherman Act and RICO claims against producers, including Perdue Farms, Fieldale Farms, Foster Farms, Claxton Poultry and Wayne Farms.
