Tyson and Cargill Settlement Details, $87.5M Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Payout—Here’s How to Claim Your Share Before June 30
Tyson and Cargill agreed to pay $87.5 million after getting sued for allegedly working together to inflate beef prices between 2014 and 2019 by restricting supply and refusing to compete. If you bought steaks, roasts, or other common beef cuts from a grocery store in 27 states during those years, you can claim your share—deadline is June 30, 2026.
You grabbed a package of chuck roast at the supermarket. Maybe some ribeye steaks for a weekend barbecue. Normal groceries. What you didn’t know? According to a massive lawsuit, America’s biggest beef companies were allegedly working behind the scenes to make sure you paid more than you should have.
The claim sounds like something out of a corporate thriller: Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef—companies that control roughly 85% of America’s beef market—allegedly stopped competing with each other and instead carved up the market like a pie, agreeing who would sell to which customers and how much beef would be available.
Less supply. Higher prices. Bigger profits for them. Empty wallets for you.
Now, two of those companies are paying $87.5 million to make the lawsuit go away.
What the Lawsuit Claims Happened
Between 2014 and 2019, something strange happened in America’s beef industry. Prices kept climbing even when they shouldn’t have, according to basic economic principles.
The lawsuit filed by consumer groups claims these beef giants entered a “market allocation agreement”—a fancy legal term for “we agreed not to compete.” Instead of fighting for customers and lowering prices to win market share, they allegedly carved up the market and agreed to reduce supply.
When supply goes down and demand stays the same, prices go up. Economics 101.
Plaintiffs’ experts estimated the collusion caused approximately $1.9 billion in total consumer damages across all the beef you and millions of other Americans bought during those five years.
Tyson and Cargill deny everything. They say they did nothing wrong. The court hasn’t ruled that they violated any laws. But they agreed to pay $87.5 million anyway to avoid the cost and uncertainty of going to trial—$55 million from Tyson and $32.5 million from Cargill.
The Sherman Act: America’s 135-Year-Old Weapon Against Price-Fixing
Price-fixing is illegal under the Sherman Antitrust Act, a law Congress passed way back in 1890 to stop monopolies and protect competition.
The Sherman Act says companies can’t conspire to fix prices, divide up markets, or restrict supply to artificially inflate what consumers pay. If they do, they face massive penalties—including having to pay back triple the damages they caused.
That’s why price-fixing cases are such a big deal. Companies face not just compensating victims, but potentially paying three times that amount as punishment.
In this case, the lawsuit claims Tyson, Cargill, and the other processors violated both federal antitrust law (the Sherman Act) and state-specific antitrust laws in the 27 jurisdictions covered by the settlement.
Are You Eligible? Check These Three Requirements
You qualify if you meet ALL three of these conditions:
1. You bought specific types of beef
The settlement covers beef made from chuck, loin, rib, or round primal cuts—both fresh and frozen. These are your everyday cuts like:
- Chuck roasts and steaks
- Ribeye, strip steak, T-bone, porterhouse, sirloin, tenderloin
- Prime rib, short ribs, back ribs
- Round roast, rump roast, eye of round, bottom round
There are over 280 specific beef products covered.
2. You bought it between August 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019
The class period covers five and a half years. If you bought qualifying beef any time during this window, you’re in.
3. You bought it in one of these 27 places
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, Wisconsin
You also had to buy it from a grocery store or supermarket for personal consumption—not directly from the beef companies, and not for resale.
What Beef Doesn’t Count
The settlement specifically excludes premium, specialty, and processed beef marketed as:
Premium: USDA Prime, organic, 100% grass-fed, Wagyu, “American-Style Kobe Beef”
Specialty: No antibiotics ever (NAE), antibiotic-free, kosher, halal, certified humane
Processed: Ground beef, marinated, seasoned, flavored, breaded, or cooked beef
So your regular ground beef for burgers? Not covered. Your fancy grass-fed organic steaks? Not covered. Standard cuts from the meat counter? Covered.
How Much Money Will You Get?
Here’s the frustrating part: Nobody knows yet.
The settlement creates an $87.5 million fund. After lawyers take their cut (typically up to one-third), administration costs get paid, and class representatives receive service awards, the remaining money gets divided equally among all approved claims.
This is called a “pro rata” payment. The more beef you bought, the higher your share. But the more people who file claims, the less each person receives.
Most everyday grocery shoppers should expect a modest payment, potentially ranging from a few dollars to several dozen dollars, depending on total claims and Court approved deductions, according to settlement experts.
Remember: 96% of settlement funds go unclaimed because people don’t file or miss deadlines. Your payment might be small, but it’s free money for something you already bought.
How to File Your Claim – Complete Instructions
You have two ways to claim. Both must be completed by June 30, 2026.
Option 1: File Online (Easiest)
Go to www.OverchargedForBeef.com and click “Submit a Claim”
You’ll need to provide:
- Your name, address, email, and phone number
- Which state(s) you bought beef in
- Approximately how much beef you bought per month during the class period
- Whether you prefer payment by check, PayPal, Venmo, or digital gift card (Amazon, Instacart, Starbucks)
No receipts required. The claim form asks you to estimate your purchases. Be honest—you’re submitting under penalty of perjury.
After submitting, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a code. Save it.
Option 2: Mail a Paper Claim
Download the claim form from the settlement website
Fill it out completely
Mail it postmarked no later than June 30, 2026 to:
Consumer Indirect Beef Litigation
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 3605
Portland, OR 97208-3605
Questions? Call the settlement administrator at 877-283-8711 or email [email protected]
Important Dates You Need to Know
March 30, 2026 – Deadline to opt out or object to the settlement
May 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM CDT – Final approval hearing in federal court
June 30, 2026 – Claim filing deadline (hard deadline—no extensions)
Summer 2026 (estimated) – Payments distributed (approximately 100 days after final approval, assuming no appeals)
What You’re Giving Up If You File
By filing a claim or doing nothing, you give up your right to sue Tyson and Cargill individually over these specific price-fixing allegations.
If you want to preserve your right to sue separately, you must opt out by mailing a written request postmarked by March 30, 2026. But if you opt out, you can’t claim any settlement money.
If you object to the settlement but still want money, you can file a written objection with the court by March 30, 2026, explaining why you think the terms are unfair.
The Bigger Picture: An Industry Under Fire
This beef settlement is part of a much larger pattern.
Combined, recent settlements across beef and pork price-fixing cases now exceed $250 million, with multiple lawsuits still ongoing.
Tyson alone has settled related cases for:
- $85 million for pork price-fixing (separate consumer lawsuit)
- Participation in this $87.5 million beef settlement
Other companies have paid:
- Smithfield: $75 million (pork price-fixing)
- JBS: $83.5 million (to cattle ranchers alleging suppressed cattle prices)
- Seaboard: $10 million (pork)
- Hormel: $4.5 million (pork)
Meanwhile, JBS and National Beef haven’t settled the beef consumer case yet—the lawsuit continues against them.
The beef industry’s concentration has raised red flags for years. Four companies control roughly 85% of America’s beef market, giving them enormous power over prices.
When companies control that much of a market, the temptation to collude instead of compete becomes stronger. That’s exactly what this lawsuit alleges happened.
How the Alleged Scheme Worked
According to court filings, the price-fixing wasn’t crude or obvious. The companies allegedly used sophisticated methods to coordinate their actions without direct price-setting conversations.
They exchanged sensitive business information through a third-party service called Agri Stats, which collected detailed data from meat processors and circulated it to subscribers. This allowed them to see each other’s production levels, capacity, and pricing strategies in near real-time.
With that information, they could coordinate reducing supply—through plant closures, slowdowns, or reduced processing—knowing their competitors would follow suit. Less beef hitting the market meant higher prices for everyone.
The lawsuit claims this wasn’t accidental market forces—it was deliberate coordination to boost profits at consumers’ expense.
Why These Settlements Matter
Most price-fixing schemes go undetected. Consumers have no idea they’re being overcharged because there’s no obvious comparison point showing what prices “should” be.
Class action lawsuits like this one force companies to pay back at least some of what they allegedly took. More importantly, they serve as deterrents. Even though companies deny wrongdoing, paying hundreds of millions in settlements sends a message: antitrust violations have consequences.
The settlements also require Tyson and Cargill to cooperate with ongoing litigation against JBS and National Beef, providing documents and testimony that could help prove the remaining companies participated in the alleged scheme.
Don’t Let Your Money Go Unclaimed
Most settlement funds sit unclaimed because people don’t know they’re eligible, don’t bother filing, or miss deadlines.
The beef industry allegedly overcharged you for years. Now there’s a pot of $87.5 million set aside to compensate victims. Whether your share is $5 or $50, it’s money you’re entitled to.
Filing takes 10 minutes online. No receipts needed. No lawyers required. Just honest estimates of how much beef you bought.
Don’t wait until June 2026 and forget. File now while you’re thinking about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need receipts to file a claim?
No. The claim form asks you to estimate how much beef you bought per month. Be truthful—you’re submitting under penalty of perjury—but you don’t need documentation.
What if I bought beef in multiple eligible states?
You can include all qualifying purchases from any of the 27 covered jurisdictions in your single claim.
How much will I actually receive?
Payment amounts vary based on how much beef you purchased and how many valid claims are filed. Estimates suggest most people will receive anywhere from a few dollars to several dozen dollars.
Why aren’t ground beef and processed products included?
The lawsuit focused specifically on allegations involving pricing and supply of primal beef cuts. Ground beef and processed products involve different supply chains and pricing structures.
Can I still claim if I don’t remember exactly how much beef I bought?
Yes. Provide your best honest estimate. The settlement administrator understands consumers don’t keep detailed grocery records from years ago.
When will I receive payment?
The court holds a final approval hearing on May 12, 2026. If approved and no one appeals, payments typically go out approximately 100 days later—likely summer 2026.
What happens if I do nothing?
You won’t receive any money, and you give up your right to sue Tyson and Cargill separately over these allegations.
Did Tyson and Cargill admit they fixed prices?
No. Both companies deny all wrongdoing. The court hasn’t ruled that they violated any laws. They agreed to settle to avoid litigation costs and uncertainty.
Are JBS and National Beef also paying?
No. This settlement only covers Tyson and Cargill. The lawsuit continues against JBS USA, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland, and National Beef Packing Company, all of which deny the allegations.
What if I object to the settlement amount?
You can file a written objection with the court explaining why you think the settlement is unfair. The deadline to object is March 30, 2026. You can still receive money even if you object.
Can businesses and restaurants claim money too?
No. The settlement only covers individuals who purchased beef for “personal consumption” (yourself, family, friends)—not for resale or business use.
Essential Resources:
- Official Settlement Website: OverchargedForBeef.com – File claims and check eligibility
- U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division – Learn about price-fixing laws
- FTC Consumer Information on Competition – Understand your rights
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult with a qualified attorney about your specific situation.
About the Author
Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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