Are you waiting for your chicken settlement money? I know exactly how you feel! After years of allegedly being overcharged for raw chicken, many of us are eager to know when those settlement checks will finally arrive. Let me break it all down for you with the latest info.
The $203.35 Million Chicken Price-Fixing Settlement: What You Need to Know
The chicken price-fixing class action lawsuit has resulted in a massive $20335 million settlement fund This includes a recently added $22,5 million from additional chicken producers who joined the settlement in September 2025,
If you purchased raw chicken between January 1, 2012, and July 31, 2019, in one of the qualifying states, you might be eligible for compensation. The good news? No proof of purchase is required to file a claim!
When Will Payments Be Distributed?
The exact payment date isn’t set yet, but here’s what we know about the timeline:
- Claim Form Deadline: July 31, 2025
- Exclusion/Objection Deadline: May 12, 2025
- Final Approval Hearing: June 30, 2025
Payments will be distributed after the court grants final approval and any objections or appeals are resolved. Based on typical class action timelines we can expect payouts approximately 4-5 months after final approval – so likely around October-November 2025 if everything proceeds smoothly.
However, if appeals are filed, this could delay the distribution process significantly
Who Qualifies for the Chicken Settlement?
You’re eligible if you:
- Purchased fresh or frozen raw chicken between January 1, 2012, and July 31, 2019
- Made these purchases in one of the qualifying states (see list below)
- Purchased whole birds, cut-up birds, or “white meat” parts like breasts and wings
The qualifying chicken must have been purchased in one of these states:
- California
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Rhode Island (only purchases after July 15, 2013)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Wisconsin
What’s NOT Covered
The settlement doesn’t cover chicken labeled as:
- Kosher
- Halal
- Organic
- Ground
- Seasoned
- Breaded
- Free-range
- Diced
- Flavored
- Minced
How Much Money Will I Get?
The exact payout amount hasn’t been determined yet. It will depend on:
- How many valid claims are submitted
- The quantity of chicken you purchased
- How much you paid
- Other settlement expenses (attorney fees, administrative costs)
The settlement administrator will distribute the fund proportionally, considering all these factors. So payouts will vary between class members.
Companies Involved in the Settlement
The chicken lawsuit involves some of the biggest food producers in the United States. Here’s who’s paying what:
Original Settlement ($180.85 million):
- Tyson Foods: $99,000,000
- Pilgrim’s: $75,000,000
- George’s: $1,900,000
- Peco: $1,900,000
- Fieldale: $1,700,000
- Mar-Jac: $1,000,000
New Settlement ($22.5 million):
- Harrison Poultry: $2,900,000
- Koch Foods: $5,000,000
- OK Foods: $3,200,000
- House of Raeford: $4,500,000
- Simmons: $3,000,000
- Mountaire: $3,000,000
- Sanderson Farms: $750,000
- Claxton Poultry, Wayne Farms, Foster Farms, and Perdue: Part of settlement but not contributing financially
How to File a Claim
If you haven’t already filed a claim for the previous settlement, you need to submit one before the July 31, 2025 deadline. If you already filed a claim for the previous settlement, you’re automatically included in the new one – no need to file again!
To file a claim:
- Go to the settlement website: OverChargedForChicken.com
- Click “File Your Claim Here”
- Enter your personal information (name, contact details, address)
- Confirm your chicken purchases
- Certify that your information is accurate
- Submit the form and save your confirmation code
Why Was This Lawsuit Filed?
The lawsuit alleges that major chicken producers colluded to fix prices and restrict the supply of chicken, violating federal and state consumer and antitrust laws. According to the allegations, this conspiracy caused consumers to pay artificially inflated prices for chicken products.
Although the companies have agreed to settle, they have not admitted to any wrongdoing.
What If I Miss the Deadline?
If you miss the July 31, 2025 deadline to submit a claim, you’ll unfortunately forfeit your right to receive compensation from this settlement. So I strongly recommend filing your claim as soon as possible!
My Personal Take
As someone who’s been following this case, I gotta say it’s pretty wild how long these things take to resolve. We’ve been paying inflated chicken prices for years, and now we’re waiting even longer for compensation!
I filed my claim last year, and I’m just as impatient as you probably are to see that money. Based on similar class actions I’ve participated in, I’m not expecting a huge payout – maybe enough for a couple nice chicken dinners (ironic, isn’t it?).
But hey, it’s better than nothing, and it sends a message to these big corporations that they can’t get away with price fixing without consequences.
Final Thoughts
To sum it all up, if the court approves the settlement on June 30, 2025, we can expect payouts around October-November 2025, assuming no appeals are filed. Keep checking the official settlement website for updates on payment timing.
Remember, if you haven’t filed a claim yet, the deadline is July 31, 2025. Don’t miss out on your piece of this $203.35 million settlement!
Note: This information is based on the latest updates as of September 13, 2025. Settlement details and timelines may change, so it’s always best to check the official settlement website for the most current information.
POULTRY PROCESSING WAGE-FIXING ALLEGATIONS EXPLAINED
For more than a decade, many poultry processing companies have allegedly conspired and combined to fix and depress the compensation paid to non-supervisory production and maintenance employees at chicken processing plants in violation of federal law.
Together the companies named in this lawsuit control more than 90% of the chicken sold in the United States, and own and operate approximately 200 chicken processing plants in the continental United States. These processors employ hundreds of thousands of individuals who turn live chickens into the food that many Americans eat.
We believe that these companies have collectively suppressed wage rates and employment benefits based on a calculated system, stifling competition across similar places of employment and positions within the chicken processing industry, all to increase overall profits. “Defendants have engaged in this unlawful conspiracy to maximize their profits by reducing labor costs, which have comprised a substantial share of each Defendant Processor’s total operating costs,” according to the complaint.
THREE ALLEGED METHODS OF WAGE AND BENEFITS SUPPRESSION
- First, senior executives allegedly held recurring off-the-books meetings where they exchanged information about, discussed, agreed upon and ultimately fixed the wages and benefits of Class Members at artificially depressed levels.
- Second, according to the lawsuit, processors frequently exchanged detailed, current and non-public wage and benefits information through surveys conducted by Agri Stats and Webber Meng Sahl and Company Inc. d/b/a WMS & Company Inc. The Agri Stats reports provided monthly effective hourly wage rates regarding categories of chicken processing plant workers from each processors plants. WMS conducted a detailed annual survey of the hourly wages and benefits paid by each processor. Defendants allegedly used the data to fix and depress workers compensation and ensure and confirm that no conspirator deviated from the conspiracy.
- Third, the complaint states, managers at affected chicken processing plants engaged in bilateral and regional exchanges of wage and benefits information. Those managers allegedly frequently reached out directly to their counterparts at competitors’ chicken processing plants to request and exchange wage and benefits data, including data regarding plans for future wages and benefits. Those alleged plant-to-plant exchanges of wage and benefits information were conducted through various mediums, including telephone calls and surveys disseminated through electronic listservs.
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FAQ
Can I get a cash payout from a chicken & broiler lawsuit?
If you purchased any chicken or chicken products from January 1, 2012, through July 31, 2019 you can be eligible to receive a cash payout from a collection of chicken and broiler chicken lawsuits, resulting in class action lawsuits totaling a $203,350,000 settlement fund to be distributed.
How much is the chicken price-fixing settlement worth in 2025?
On July 29, 2025, a notice of appeal to the settlement approval was filed. Claims will not be paid until the appeal is resolved. Settlement Update March 2025: New settlements worth $22.5 million have been reached, bringing the chicken price-fixing settlement total to $203.35 million.
When is the new broiler chicken settlement open?
The settlement administrator has opened the claim form for the new settlement for the consumers, and it will remain open till the deadline, 31 July 2025. The class members who have already filed the claim for the Broiler Chicken settlement do not need to file it for the new settlement.
What is the broiler chicken settlement?
The Broiler Chicken’s new settlement of a $22.5 million fund is open to claim, the class members can submit their claims before 31 July 2025 to receive the appropriate money as compensation for the higher price they paid for the raw chicken. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
How do I claim a $203.35 million chicken prices settlement?
To be eligible to receive a payment from the $203.35 million chicken prices class action settlement, you must complete and submit a valid Claim Form electronically, linked below, if you believe that you are a qualified claimant. Please note that if you already filed a claim form, any new settlements will be paid out to you automatically.
Can a class member claim a new broiler chicken settlement?
The class members of the Broiler Chicken settlement can file the claim for the new settlement if they haven’t filed for the previous one, as the previous settlement claimants will be automatically included in the new settlement.
What is the status of the chicken class action lawsuit?
In March of 2024, payments from the previous settlements with Amick, Fieldale Farms, George’s, Mar-Jac, Peco, Pilgrim’s Pride, and Tyson were made to Class Members that submitted Claim Forms with validated qualifying Broiler purchases. These distributions are nearly complete.
How long does it take to receive money from a class action lawsuit?
How much is the payout on a chicken lawsuit?
New settlements totaling $22.5 million have been reached in a massive lawsuit that claimed a handful of chicken processors illegally conspired to limit the nation’s chicken supply and artificially raise prices for consumers—bringing the total class action settlement amount to over $203 million.