A Settlement has been reached in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs with Defendant Smithfield Foods, Inc. and related or affiliated entities (“Smithfield” or “Settling Defendant”). This Settlement only applies to the Settling Defendant and does not dismiss claims against other Defendants in the case entitled In re Pork Antitrust Litigation (Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Actions), Case No. 0:18-cv-01776 (D. Minn.).

If approved by the Court, the Settlement will resolve a lawsuit over whether Smithfield combined and conspired in restraint of trade, the purpose and effect of which was to suppress competition and to allow Smithfield and other Pork producers to charge supra-competitive prices for Pork products during the Settlement Class Period, in violation of federal and state laws. If approved, the Settlement will avoid litigation costs and risks to Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs and Smithfield and will release Smithfield from liability to members of the Settlement Class.

The Settlement requires Smithfield to pay $42,000,000. In addition to this monetary payment, Smithfield has agreed to certain injunctive relief and to provide specified cooperation in the Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs’ continued prosecution of the litigation. There will be no payments to the Settlement Class at this time. If you are a Settlement Class member, you will be notified later of an opportunity to file a claim.

In 2021, notice was provided regarding a settlement with Defendants JBS USA Food Company, JBS USA Food Company Holdings, Swift Pork Company, and related or affiliated entities (“JBS”). This website is for the Smithfield Settlement, a new settlement within the same lawsuit. You may be a member of the Settlement Class in either or both settlements with separate rights as to each Settlement.

The Court has not decided whether Smithfield did anything wrong, and Smithfield denies any wrongdoing. Your legal rights are affected whether you act or do not act. Please read this website carefully.

Your Legal Rights and Options

Legal Rights:		Deadline:
Exclude Yourself	Get no settlement benefits but keep any right to file your own lawsuit or be part of any other lawsuit against Smithfield concerning the Released Claims.	Postmarked by: September 3, 2022
Object	Write to the Court about why you do not like the Settlement.	Postmarked by: September 3, 2022
Attend a Hearing	Ask to speak to the Court about the fairness of the Settlement.	Notice of Appearance: Postmarked by: September 3, 2022
Do Nothing	Remain part of the Settlement and maintain the ability to participate in any monetary distribution, which may happen later. The Settlement will resolve your claims against Smithfield, and you will give up your rights to sue Smithfield about the Released Claims. You will be bound by the judgment.

These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained further on the FAQ page.