MINNEAPOLIS – During a preliminary approval on April 15, a federal judge in Minnesota granted another class action pork price-fixing settlement between JBS and Commercial and Institutional Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs (CIIPS).

Judge John R. Tunheim of the US District Court of Minnesota accepted the $12.75 million settlement between the two parties. 

“The settlement fund will be used to compensate the settlement class for damages suffered and expenses incurred, and potentially for the benefit of pursuing claims against non-settling defendants,” Tunheirm wrote. “In addition to the monetary relief, the terms of the settlement agreement require JBS to provide material cooperation to CIIPPs for the benefit of pursuing claims against the non-settling defendants.”

Some of the CIIPS include: The Breakfast Joynt, Longhorn’s Steakhouse, Erbert & Gerbert’s, Ziggy’s BBQ Smokehouse & Ice Cream Parlor, Confetti’s, Sandee’s Bakery and Joe’s Steak and Leaf.

JBS recently reached a $24.5 million agreement over price-fixing allegations with wholesalers and a $20 million agreement on a consumer class-action case.

The initial lawsuits in 2018 accused major US meatpackers of collectively raising pork prices and exchanging detailed sensitive information through Agri Stats.

Other companies named in the original complaint included Agri Stats, Clemens Food Group LLC, Hormel Foods Corp., Indiana Packers Corp., Seaboard Foods LLC, Smithfield Foods Inc., Triumph Foods LLC and Tyson Foods Inc.