Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and Gustafson Gluek PLLC Announce an Additional $75 Million Settlement for Consumers Who Purchased Pork Products

NEW YORK, Dec. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 

COURT-APPROVED LEGAL NOTICE

If you purchased any Pork product in the United States from January 1, 2009, through April 2, 2021, a class action settlement may affect your rights.

Para una notificacion in español, llame gratis al 1-877-777-9594

o visite nuestro website www.overchargedforpork.com.

A new settlement has been reached in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs with Defendant Smithfield Foods, Inc. and related or affiliated entities ("Smithfield").  This Court-ordered notice may affect your rights.  Please review and follow the instructions carefully.

The United States District Court for the District of Minnesota authorized this notice.  Before any money is paid, the Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement.

WHO IS INCLUDED?

For settlement purposes, members of the Settlement Class are defined as all persons and entities who indirectly purchased Pork from any of the Defendants or any co-conspirator, or their respective subsidiaries or affiliates, for personal use in the United States from at least as early as January 1, 2009 until April 2, 2021. Specifically excluded from the Settlement Class are the Defendants; the officers, directors, or employees of any Defendant; any entity in which any Defendant has a controlling interest; and any affiliate, legal representative, heir, or assign of any Defendant. Also excluded from this Settlement Class are any federal, state, or local governmental entities, any judicial officer presiding over this action and the members of his/her immediate family and judicial staff, and any juror assigned to this action. In addition to Smithfield, the Defendants in this lawsuit for purposes of this notice include Clemens Food Group, LLC, The Clemens Family Corporation, Hormel Foods Corporation, JBS USA Food Company, JBS USA Food Company Holdings, Seaboard Foods LLC, Triumph Foods, LLC, Tyson Foods, Inc., Tyson Prepared Foods, Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., and Agri Stats, Inc.

If you are not sure you are included, you can get more information, including a detailed notice, at www.overchargedforpork.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-777-9594.

WHAT IS THIS LAWSUIT ABOUT?

Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs allege that Defendants and their co-conspirators conspired and combined to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price of Pork, at least as early as January 1, 2009, with the intent and expected result of increasing prices of Pork in the United States, in violation of federal and state consumer-protection and antitrust laws. Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs previously reached a settlement with one Defendant, JBS.  The Court granted final approval to the JBS settlement on September 14, 2022. Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs have now reached a new proposed Settlement with Defendant Smithfield. Smithfield denies it did anything wrong.  The Court did not decide which side was right, but both sides agreed to the Settlement Agreement to resolve the case, avoid the risks involved with continued litigation, and get benefits to the Settlement Class.  The case is still proceeding on behalf of the Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs against other Defendants who may be subject to separate settlements, judgments, or class certification orders.

WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE?

Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, Smithfield will pay $75,000,000 to resolve all Settlement Class claims against it in this litigation.  In addition to this monetary benefit, Smithfield has also agreed to certain injunctive relief and to provide specified cooperation in the Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs' continued prosecution of the litigation. No money will be distributed yet. Co-Lead Counsel will continue to pursue the lawsuit against the other non-settling Defendants. Co-Lead Counsel may request that the Court award attorneys' fees and permit the reimbursement of certain litigation costs and expenses. If such request is made, it will be filed at least fourteen days before the objection deadline and posted on the website www.overchargedforpork.com at that time. Co-Lead Counsel believes that the total amount of attorneys' fees sought will be no more than 33.3% of the Settlement Fund or $25,000,000.00, and the total amount of costs sought will be no more than $5.2 million. Class Counsel will request service awards of up to $2,000 on behalf of each Class Representative. All Settlement funds that remain after payment of the Court-ordered attorneys' fees, costs, service awards, and expenses will be distributed at the conclusion of the lawsuit or as ordered by the Court.

WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS AND OPTIONS?

You do not need to take any action to remain a member of the Settlement Class and be bound by the Settlement Agreement. As a Settlement Class Member, you may be able to participate in (or exclude yourself from) any future settlement or judgment obtained by Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs against other Defendants in the case.  If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement Agreement, you must exclude yourself by February 7, 2023, or you will not be able to sue or continue to sue Smithfield for the Released Claims (as defined in the Settlement Agreement).  If you exclude yourself, you can't get money from the Settlement. If you don't exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you may still object to the Settlement Agreement by February 7, 2023. The detailed notice explains how to exclude yourself or object. Details may also be found on the FAQs page of the Settlement website. The Court will hold a hearing in this case (In re Pork Antitrust Litigation (Indirect Purchaser Actions), Case No. 0:18-cv-01776 (D. Minn.)), on March 30, 2023, to consider whether to approve the Settlement Agreement. You may ask to speak at the hearing, but you do not have to.

In order to be eligible to receive a payment from the Settlement, you must submit a valid Claim Form before June 30, 2023. You may submit a Claim Form either online or by mail. Both options are available at the website www.overchargedforpork.com. If you previously submitted a Claim Form in response to the JBS settlement notice, then you do not need to submit another Claim Form as you will be automatically eligible to receive a payment from the Smithfield Settlement.

Deadlines and the date and time of the hearing are subject to change.  Updates will be provided on the website www.overchargedforpork.com.

This notice is only a summary. You can find more details about the Settlement at www.overchargedforpork.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-777-9594.  Please do not contact the Court.

This notice is only a summary. You can find more details about the Settlement at www.overchargedforpork.com or by calling toll-free 1-877-777-9594.  Please do not contact the Court.

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SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and Gustafson Gluek PLLC