Western South Dakota's Only Ranch Station

Federal court denies motion to dismiss cattle antitrust cases

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Federal District Court for the District of Minnesota has issued an order substantially denying the motion by the nation’s four largest beef packers (Defendants) to dismiss the class-action antitrust lawsuit originally filed in April 2019 by R-CALF USA through its counsels Scott & Scott Attorneys at Law LLP, along with Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP.

1890 Puck political cartoon. A monopoly of corporate interests led to the Sherman Antitrust Act.  (Wikipedia)

In Tuesday’s, Sept. 14 ruling, Judge John R. Tunheim found that Plaintiffs (including R-CALF USA) have plausibly plead that Defendants conspired to suppress the price of fed cattle and increase the price of beef.

R-CALF USA’s antitrust action alleges the “Big 4” (Cargill, Tyson Foods, Inc., JBS, SA and National Beef Packing Co.) violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 by engaging in a price-fixing conspiracy. It also alleges the Big 4 violated the Packers and Stockyards Act as well as the Commodity Exchange Act.

As a result of Tuesday’s order, the cattle antitrust case will now proceed to discovery so that Plaintiffs may test their claims. A public version of the order will be available at a later date.

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Two families with generations of ranching in their backgrounds are now part of the new faces at Lemmon Livestock. Pictured are Rowdy and Miranda Benson and their children (left to right) Tymber, Creed, Remi and Retro. The Ham Family, Brady and Kristen (not pictured) are also part of the team.(Courtesy Photo)

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