A lawsuit has been filed accusing several major egg producers of conspiring to manipulate the price of conventional fresh shell eggs, resulting in inflated costs for consumers. The complaint was lodged by India Price, Lakia Session, and Karen Solomon on December 11, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin against Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., Rose Acre Farms, Inc., Versova Holdings, LLC, Hillandale Farms, Daybreak Foods, Inc., Urner Barry Publications, Inc., Egg Clearinghouse, Inc., United Egg Producers, and other unnamed defendants.
The plaintiffs allege that from January 1, 2022, these companies engaged in anticompetitive practices to fix and stabilize egg prices. The lawsuit claims that these actions violated federal antitrust laws and various state consumer protection statutes. According to the complaint, conventional eggs make up a significant portion of the U.S. market and were subjected to price manipulation through collusion among the largest egg producers who collectively control nearly half of all commercial hens in the country. The plaintiffs argue that these producers provided inflated price assessments to Urner Barry—a key industry publisher—which then reported these figures as market benchmarks. This manipulation allegedly allowed producers to sustain higher prices unjustifiably.
The lawsuit highlights how Urner Barry’s pricing quotes became a central tool for coordinating prices across the industry. It is claimed that this led to unprecedented price hikes not justified by production costs or supply shortages caused by avian influenza outbreaks cited by defendants as reasons for increased prices. Instead, plaintiffs assert that these explanations are pretexts used to mask deliberate price inflation strategies. As a result of this alleged conspiracy, consumers like Price, Session, and Solomon have paid more than they should have for eggs.
Plaintiffs seek relief including damages for overcharges paid during the class period and injunctive relief to prevent future anticompetitive conduct. They also demand a jury trial to address their grievances under Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act along with state-level claims.
Representing the plaintiffs are attorneys from law firms well-versed in handling complex antitrust litigation cases. The case is presided over by judges at the Western District of Wisconsin with Case ID: 3:25-cv-1016.
Source: 325cv01016_Price_v_Cal_Maine_Foods_Inc_Complaint_Western_District_Wisconsin.pdf
