US egg groups reach deal on pricing probe

Shivam Mishra

Tue, June 30, 2026 astatine 7:58 AM CDT 2 min read

Three large US ovum producers person struck an statement with the Department of Justice and 17 states connected allegations the companies manipulated ovum prices.

In a connection yesterday (29 June), the New York State Attorney General's bureau said Cal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman's Egg Ranch volition proviso a full of 53 cardinal eggs to nutrient banks and non-profit organisations successful the states.

The suppliers volition besides marque $3.3m successful payments to the 17 states, which besides see California, Texas and Florida.

According to the New York State Attorney General's office, Cal-Maine Foods, Versova/Centrum and Hickman's Egg Ranch co-ordinated betwixt astir June 2022 and March 2025 to power a regular ovum terms index, starring to higher prices for retailers and consumers crossed the US.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said: "When almighty corporations collude down the scenes to rise prices, moving families endure the costs. These ovum producers manipulated the marketplace to compression adjacent much nett retired of consumers and businesses."

In a abstracted statement, publically listed Cal-Maine said the statement followed a 15-month-long probe by the DoJ that "centred broadly connected whether ovum producers that had organised a cooperative to proviso eggs to customers successful compliance with cage-free requirements successful definite markets were attempting to manipulate an manufacture terms scale by sharing accusation astir bidding activities".

Cal-Maine said it was a subordinate of the cooperative but near the tie-up successful May 2024, "prior to and unrelated to the initiation of the DoJ's investigation".

In the statement, the institution said it had "cooperated afloat successful the broad reappraisal process" and "denies each wrongdoing and violations of law".

Cal-Maine added it would donate 30 cardinal eggs and wage $1.5m to the states.

Just Food has approached Versova and Hickman's Egg Ranch for comment.

"US ovum groups scope woody connected pricing probe" was primitively created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.