The U.S. Justice Department and a coalition of 17 states have reached a settlement with egg producers over alleged illegal price manipulation, according to a news release.
The Justice Department’s antitrust division filed a civil lawsuit against Cal-Maine Foods Inc., Hickman’s Egg Ranch Inc. and Centrum Valley Holdings LLC and Versova Holdings LLC for unlawful coordinated manipulation of egg prices. At the same time, the DOJ filed proposed settlements.
According to the proposed settlement, the three companies will pay $3.3 million in civil penalties and donate more than 50 million eggs, Bloomberg reported, citing a statement issued Monday by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Justice Department Requires Egg Producers to End Coordinated Benchmark Manipulation that Artificially Inflated Prices Across the Country: The Proposed Settlements Will Ensure Competitive Prices for Consumers by Stopping Coordination to Inflate Egg Prices
— Antitrust Division (@JusticeATR) June 30, 2026
“Food affordability is a… pic.twitter.com/ggKuZGCgjD
The case was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa on Monday, according to the release.
The complaint alleges that Cal-Maine, Hickman’s, and Versova coordinated to artificially inflate the daily quotations of Urner Barry Publications, a market reporting company whose publications affect prices that grocery stores, restaurants, and others pay for eggs nationwide.
The Justice Department was joined in the complaint and proposed settlements by the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin joined the Department in the complaint and proposed settlements.
The settlement requires court approval before it becomes final, Bloomberg reported.
The investigation came after record-breaking prices in early 2025, when the average price of a dozen eggs climbed to a high of $6.22, according to Bloomberg. The price spike occurred as bird flu outbreaks forced farmers to slaughter millions of egg-laying hens. Prices have since fallen to an average of $2.19 per dozen in May, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
“No product more quintessentially represents affordability than the price Americans pay for eggs,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement. “These actions prove this Department’s continued commitment to protecting competition and providing real relief for everyday Americans’ pocketbooks.”
In a separate statement, Cal-Maine Foods said it would pay a total of $1.5 million to the states and donate 30 million eggs to food banks and nonprofits nationwide, Reuters reported. It denied any wrongdoing and said it was not penalized.
Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch did not respond to the news organization’s request for comment.
© 2026 Cox Media Group
