The Justice Department, along with attorneys general from 17 states, has announced a series of proposed settlements with three prominent egg producers in the U.S., following allegations of coordinated efforts to manipulate a key pricing benchmark that resulted in elevated egg prices for consumers nationwide. A civil antitrust lawsuit has been filed against Cal-Maine Foods, Hickman’s Egg Ranch, and Versova, accompanied by these proposed settlements aimed at preventing such conduct in the future, pending federal court approval.
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office reported that the involved companies are set to pay a total of $3.3 million to the states participating in the settlement and donate around 53 million eggs to food banks and nonprofit organizations. Additionally, the settlements stipulate that the companies must implement antitrust compliance procedures and cease any alleged coordinated practices.
The Justice Department contends that the egg producers manipulated daily price quotations from Urner Barry, a critical industry benchmark that influences wholesale egg pricing across the nation. The complaint suggests that these companies engaged in coordinated bidding behaviors to fabricate the illusion of heightened demand, thereby artificially inflating prices of billions of eggs sold each year. Notably, the complaint alleges that benchmark prices declined markedly after the companies were notified of the federal investigation in March 2025, when they were instructed to preserve relevant documents.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward emphasized the significance of this case, stating, “No product more quintessentially represents affordability than the price Americans pay for eggs.” He reiterated the Department’s commitment to protecting competition and ensuring consumers receive tangible financial relief.
Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg producer in the nation, has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that it “was not assessed any fines or penalties” as part of the agreement. The company announced that it will pay $1.5 million to the participating states and donate 30 million eggs to charitable organizations while also implementing designated compliance and reporting procedures.
Mantiqueira USA, the joint venture that took over Hickman’s Egg Ranch in November 2025, clarified that the conduct outlined in the Justice Department’s complaint occurred prior to its acquisition of the ranch and that the settlement resolves all allegations related to that period.
The proposed settlements are now subject to court approval, which will occur after a mandatory 60-day public comment period, as stipulated under the Tunney Act.
