DOJ alleges an unlawful agreement to manipulate egg-price benchmarks
United States Department of JusticeFederal plaintiff, joined by 17 states in a civil antitrust complaint
DOJ alleges that the producers agreed to manipulate egg-price benchmarks in violation of antitrust law and asks the court to stop the alleged conduct.
“Defendants’ agreement to manipulate the Urner Barry price quotations violates Section 1 of the Sherman Act and should be enjoined.”
Original text
Official statement
Original text
Where this statement fits
Did Cal-Maine and other egg producers manipulate egg-price benchmarks?
The Justice Department and 17 states allege that major egg producers coordinated bids to inflate Urner Barry price quotations. Cal-Maine denies wrongdoing and says its communications did not affect egg prices. The filed complaint and proposed settlement do not resolve the disputed facts by trial.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
The civil complaint in case 5:26-cv-04060 alleges coordinated bidding to manipulate egg-price benchmarks. Its allegations are contested.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Official statement
About this source
Cal-Maine denies unlawful conduct and price effects while agreeing to compliance measures, egg donations and payments to states, subject to approvals.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Original text
About this source
The proposed consent judgment states that the parties consent without a trial, adjudication or admission. It is not an entered finding of liability.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The complaint alleges coordinated bidding from June 2022 through March 2025.
After the quotation
Cal-Maine denies wrongdoing. Its proposed consent judgment contains no trial finding or admission of liability.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The complaint expressly rejects the alleged coordination as unlawful and seeks to enjoin it.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseJames accuses Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman's of manipulating egg-price benchmarks
“These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses. By shutting this scheme down and delivering millions of eggs to those in need, we’re sending a clear message that companies will not get away with illegal price hikes in New York.”Read statement
Cal-Maine denies wrongdoing and price effects
Cal-Maine Foods
“The Company denies all wrongdoing and violations of law and continues to believe that such claims are baseless and that its conduct was lawful, appropriate and in the best interest of supplying eggs to the marketplace. Cal-Maine further maintains that the Company's communications cited in the complaint – which were made primarily by a single former employee – did not impact egg prices in any market.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- DOJ alleges an unlawful agreement to manipulate egg-price benchmarks
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/6068-doj-alleges-that-the-producers-agreed-to-manipulate
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "DOJ alleges an unlawful agreement to manipulate egg-price benchmarks". First published: 2026-10-19. Last updated: 2026-10-19. https://disputeindex.com/events/6068-doj-alleges-that-the-producers-agreed-to-manipulate