MADISON, Wis. — Hundreds of thousands of eggs are being delivered to Wisconsin food banks following a multistate settlement with three major egg producers accused of illegally working together to raise prices.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Thursday that more than 400,000 eggs have been delivered to food banks and community organizations across the state this week. The shipments are the first of approximately two million eggs Wisconsin will receive through the settlement.
On Tuesday, 42 pallets of eggs were delivered to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin locations in Milwaukee and Appleton.
“Wisconsinites shouldn’t have to pay higher grocery bills because of collusion on prices,” Kaul said. “I’m glad this settlement will be helping put food on the table for Wisconsin families.”
The settlement, announced in June, followed an investigation involving 17 state attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice. Investigators alleged that Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman’s Egg Ranch illegally coordinated to influence egg prices, resulting in higher costs for retailers and consumers nationwide.
Under the agreement, the companies must provide approximately 53 million eggs to food banks and nonprofit organizations across participating states. The companies will also pay a combined $3.3 million and adopt measures to prevent future antitrust violations.
The settlement also requires the producers to end the alleged price coordination and cooperate with ongoing oversight by state and federal authorities.
