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Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Handley Farah & Anderson PLLC, and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC Announce $202.7 Million in Settlements for Beef and Pork Processing Plant Workers USA - English USA - español USA - English

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HRL Hormel Foods Corp. is named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging price-fixing and wage suppression. While they deny claims, they have agreed to a settlement to avoid further costs, indicating a neutral stance on the company's operations but a negative event due to litigation. TSN Tyson Foods, Inc. is named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging price-fixing and wage suppression. While they deny claims, they have agreed to a settlement to avoid further costs, indicating a neutral stance on the company's operations but a negative event due to litigation. JBS JBS USA Food Co. is named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging price-fixing and wage suppression. While they deny claims, they have agreed to a settlement to avoid further costs, indicating a neutral stance on the company's operations but a negative event due to litigation.

Beef and Pork Processing Plant Workers Could Get Money from $202.7 Million in Settlements

SEATTLE and BERKELEY, Calif., March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- The following is being released by the law firms Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Handley Farah & Anderson PLLC, and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC about the lawsuit Brown v. JBS USA Food Co., No. 1:22-cv-02946 in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.

Settlements totaling $202.7 million have been reached in a lawsuit that says that some beef and pork companies agreed with each other to keep wages low for their beef and pork processing plant workers. It says that is against the law and caused workers to make less money than they should have.

The Defendant beef and pork companies in this lawsuit are: Agri Beef Co.; American Foods Group, LLC; Cargill, Inc.; Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation; Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc.; Hormel Foods Corp.; Indiana Packers Corp.; Iowa Premium, LLC; JBS USA Food Company; National Beef Packing Co., LLC; Nebraska Beef, Ltd.; Perdue Farms, Inc.; Quality Pork Processors, Inc.; Rochelle Foods, LLC; Seaboard Foods, LLC; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp.; Triumph Foods, LLC; Tyson Foods, Inc.; and Washington Beef, LLC. Two companies who helped the beef and pork companies exchange information who are also Defendants in this lawsuit are: Agri Stats, Inc. and Webber, Meng, Sahl, and Company, Inc.

Defendants deny these claims. Some Defendants have agreed to settlements to stop the lawsuit against them and avoid further costs and risks. The lawsuit continues against Agri Stats, Inc.; Greater Omaha Packing Company, Inc.; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; and Smithfield Packaged Meats Corporation.

Individuals are included in the main "Class" if they worked at any Defendant's beef or pork processing plants in the United States between January 1, 2000, and February 27, 2024. Anyone in the main Class is eligible for payment from settlements with nine Defendants that total $191.45 million.

Individuals may also be included in an additional smaller "Subclass" if they worked at any Defendant's beef or pork processing plants in the United States between January 1, 2014, and February 27, 2024. Anyone in the Subclass is also eligible for payment from settlements with two additional Defendants that total $11.25 million.

The settlements will be used to pay included individuals, lawsuit costs, attorneys' fees, notice and administration costs, and Class Representative awards. Defendants who are settling also agreed to provide cooperation.

Important Information and Dates:

More information about how to opt out or object to the settlements is available at www.BeefPorkWages.com.

For more information:

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, Handley Farah & Anderson PLLC and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC