IN RE PORK ANTITRUST LITIGATION
The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota denied a motion to dismiss filed by Hormel Foods Corp., Hormel Foods, LLC, JBS USA Food Co., Tyson Foods, Inc., Tyson Prepared Foods, Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., Smithfield Foods, Inc., Seaboard Foods LLC, Triumph Foods, LLC, Clemens Food Group, LLC, The Clemens Family Corp., and Agri Stats, Inc., in a consolidated antitrust action brought by nine plaintiff groups that accuse the defendants of colluding to diminish pork supply and inflate prices. U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim rejected defendants’ argument that plaintiffs’ claims are barred by the statute of limitations. Judge Tunheim also found that plaintiffs had adequately alleged defendants’ conspiracy to fix prices and plausibly alleged injury from defendants’ violation of the Packers and Stockyards Act.
[To accompany Case Law Update "Federal Court Denies Motion to Dismiss in Antitrust Litigation Alleging Price Fixing in the Pork Industry" from Brooks Animal Law Digest Issue No. 209]