Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Dairy Farmers of America Settle Milk Antitrust Suit For $158.6 Million

Settlement Applies to Thousands of Dairy Farmers in 14 Southern U.S. States

By , Farms.com

A class-action lawsuit that alleged that the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a 15,000 member dairy farmer cooperative sought to limit competition across the Southern U.S. for farmer’s milk.

The DFA was scheduled to go on trial on Tuesday, but reached a settlement for $158.6 million, which applies to farmers in 14 southeastern states.

The DFA has since agreed to change its conduct in the southeast which includes working towards ways to increase raw-milk prices.

The lawsuit alleged that major milk processors stopped buying milk from dairy farmers, which then required them to market their milk through the DFA – who then in turn flooded the market with excess milk that led to depressed milk prices.

Dairy Farmers of America operated out of Kansas City and sells milk from its farmers to processors.


Trending Video

Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner