People who bought pork in the United States between June 28, 2014, and June 30, 2018, have until October 29, 2026, to file a claim in a $117.065 million price-fixing settlement. The same date is the last day to opt out or object. Six weeks later, on December 11, a federal judge in Minnesota holds the hearing that decides whether the deal gets final approval.
Nine days, three choices, one date
The settlement site lists a single deadline for three different moves. A claim form must be submitted online or postmarked by October 29. An opt-out request must be postmarked by that day, and so must an objection. Anyone who does nothing stays in the settlement.
The consequences differ. Staying in means giving up the right to sue Agri Stats, Triumph, Hormel, Seaboard, Clemens and Tyson later. Opting out means no cash payment but the right to sue the five companies that are paying. Opting out is not available for Agri Stats. Objecting keeps a person bound by the deal while telling the court why it is unfair.
For a pork buyer, the question is whether a claim form goes in before the 29th. The settlement FAQ says the form can be filed online or mailed to the administrator, and it advises mailing at least a week before the deadline. Only a timely and valid claim form is eligible for a cash payment.
What changed this year: Social Security and Medicare change every year, and nobody sends you a memo. The Retirement Money Brief breaks down what changed and what to do.
Get the Retirement Money Brief →
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
What the December 11 hearing decides
U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim presides in In re Pork Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 0:18-cv-1776. The final approval hearing is set for 11:00 a.m. Central on December 11 at the federal courthouse at 300 South Fourth Street in Minneapolis, with telephone or video participation also listed. The court gave the settlements preliminary approval on July 31, 2026.
The hearing falls 43 days after the filing deadline. By the time the judge takes the bench, the window to file a claim, opt out or object has already closed. Anyone who wants a say in the outcome, or a share of the money, has to act in the weeks before the hearing, not at it. The site says people may attend if they wish.
The hearing is where the judge weighs the deal and any objections. The FAQ says the judge cannot change the terms. The judge can only approve or reject the settlements as they are. The site also warns that the hearing date may move and tells people to check it for updates.
Why December 11 is not a payment date
According to the FAQ, cash payments come after the settlements are approved and become final. The settlements go into effect only if the judge approves them and any appeals are resolved. No payment date has been announced.
The amount is also unknown. The FAQ says it is not known how much each class member who files a valid claim will receive. Payments are mostly shared pro rata, based on purchases compared with other valid claims, after fees, expenses and service awards come out. Multiple distribution rounds are possible.
Class counsel will ask for up to one-third of the settlement amounts from the five paying companies, up to $5 million in litigation expenses and administration costs, plus $3,000 for each class representative. The court may award less, and all of it needs approval.
Who counts as a class member
The FAQ defines the class as people who indirectly purchased covered pork for personal consumption between June 28, 2014, and June 30, 2018, in one of the listed jurisdictions, such as Minnesota, California or New York. Indirectly means buying from a store rather than from a producer. The covered products are raw pork bacon and raw fresh or frozen pork made from bellies, loins, shoulder, ribs or pork chops.
Organic and no-antibiotics-ever pork is excluded, and so are marinated, seasoned, flavored or breaded products other than bacon. The defendants and their officers, employees and affiliates, government entities, the presiding judge and the judge’s family and staff are also left out.
Who is paying, and who is not
Five companies agreed to pay. Tyson is the largest at $85 million. Clemens agreed to $13.5 million, Seaboard $10 million, Hormel $4.465 million and Triumph $4.1 million. Those figures add up to the $117.065 million total.
Agri Stats is not paying anything. It agreed to reform certain business practices instead. The plaintiffs allege the defendants inflated and stabilized the price and supply of pork through Agri Stats, production restraints and exports. The court has not ruled that any defendant did anything wrong, and the companies deny the allegations.
Questions go to the administrator, Epiq, at 1-888-287-5434 or admin@OverchargedForPork.com. The site also has a product eligibility lookup, which shows which pork products count.
The calendar from here
- October 29, 2026: claim form deadline, opt-out postmark deadline and objection postmark deadline.
- December 11, 2026, 11:00 a.m. Central: final approval hearing before Judge Tunheim.
- After approval and any appeals: cash payments, on a date nobody has announced.
Will your pork claim be in before October 29?
The pork settlement stacks a filing deadline of October 29 against a hearing on December 11, and the two dates do different jobs. Miss the first and the second changes nothing for a claim that was never filed.
The Settlement & Refund Recovery System includes the four-date rule for reading a settlement notice, built for notices like this one where a deadline and a hearing sit weeks apart, and a claim log and payment tracker for keeping each filing and each expected check in one place.
Log the October 29 pork claim and the December 11 hearing in one payment tracker →
More Financial Reading
- 15 Places to Find Your Share of the $4.25 Billion States Give Back
- 21 Ways to Stretch a $2,087 Social Security Check
- 17 Medicare Money Moves Now That Part D Caps at $2,400
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
