Class Action Settlement: U.S. Dairy Industry to Pay $52 Million in Price-Fixing Conspiracy

Dairy Industry Pays $52M in Price-Fixing Conspiracy Settlement

As Animal Outlook has exposed time and again, the dairy industry consistently shows utter disregard for animal welfare — from taking newborn calves away from their mothers to shipping “spent” cows off to slaughter.

That’s hardly where the unethical behavior ends.

According to a class action lawsuit filed in 2011, the industry’s also deceiving consumers by illegally jacking up prices. Now, five years later, the case is being settled — for a whopping $52 million.

Animal Outlook conducted the initial case theory research and development, and then brought it to class action firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of millions of harmed dairy consumers in the U.S. Upon filing, the case sparked headlines in major media outlets including The Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, The Seattle Weekly and more.

How did the price-fixing scheme work?  A trade group representing 70 percent of the dairy industry, including the National Milk Producers Federation, Dairy Farmers of America and Land O’Lakes, created what it euphemistically called a “dairy herd retirement program.”  This program involved buying out individual, often small, dairy farmers and instructing them to kill their entire dairy herds, mostly young cows, in a concerted effort to reduce the nation’s milk supply, thus artificially — and illegally — inflating the price of dairy products.  

In all, this dairy industry program was responsible for killing 500,000 young cows and cheating millions of consumers — all to line the pockets of agribusiness giants.

If you’re one of the millions of consumers impacted by this scheme, you can file a claim by January 31, 2017. Details can be found here or at www.boughtmilk.com.

The best way we can help cows and opt out of supporting cruelty and corruption in animal agribusiness is by leaving animal products like dairy, meat and eggs off our plates. With so many delicious plant-based options available, it’s easier than ever before. Please visit TryVeg.com today to get started.