Tyson Foods has agreed to pay US $82.5 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought by companies that bought beef directly from the meatpacker. The case was filed in federal court in Minnesota and involves grocery chains, food distributors and other businesses that purchased boxed and case-ready beef products. The settlement resolves claims that Tyson and other large beef processors restricted supply and resulted in higher prices for buyers over a period covering 2015 through 2022.

The lawsuit is part of broader litigation known as In re Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation, which alleges major beef packers coordinated to limit competition in the wholesale market. Tyson’s proposed settlement with the direct purchasers follows an earlier deal by another processor, JBS USA, and will require approval from a federal judge before it becomes final. Two remaining named defendants in the case, Cargill and National Beef, have not reached similar agreements as this stage of the litigation continues.

Tyson is the largest meat company in the United States and the payment is intended to compensate buyers who said they were harmed by inflated wholesale prices. The settlement is separate from other price-fixing litigation in which Tyson has agreed to pay amounts to resolve consumer claims over beef and pork price issues in recent years. Those related settlements also did not include admissions of liability by the company.

The next step in the process is for the court to review the terms of the settlement and decide whether it fairly addresses the claims of the direct purchaser class. If approved, the settlement will bring partial resolution to one piece of complex antitrust litigation involving some of the largest firms in the U.S. beef industry.