Egg Cartel Allegations Explode | US News

The Justice Department and 17 states are suing three giant egg producers for allegedly colluding to inflate prices by manipulating benchmark reports from Urner Barry — a scheme that reportedly involved executives from Cal-Maine, Hickman’s, and Versova coordinating bids via texts and calls to artificially drive up costs. If true, this cartel-like behavior hit everyday consumers hard, especially as egg prices soared between 2022 and 2025. The complaint notes prices dropped once the investigation was rumored — a sign of guilt, officials say. Settlements demand compliance programs to prevent future abuse. Cal-Maine denies wrongdoing, blaming a former employee and insisting their actions were legal and market-stabilizing during a tough time. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8f365b79c9f517a0