Post by Logan on Jun 9, 2016 0:50:07 GMT -6
Judge approves $50M settlement to dairy farmers; Some Lancaster dairymen are opting out
A federal judge in Vermont on Tuesday approved a $50 million settlement to be paid by a national dairy marketing cooperative to thousands of Northeast dairy farmers, but Lancaster County dairyman Mike Eby says he and more than 120 of his fellow farmers have opted out and will move ahead with a separate lawsuit of their own.
“We were fearful the judge would view the settlement the way she has,” Eby, of Gordonville, said upon learning of the decision Tuesday afternoon.
Under the settlement, Dairy Farmers of America will pay an average of $4,000 apiece to about 8,860 farms to resolve a lawsuit that accused the marketing group of trying to drive down milk prices.
The 2009 class-action lawsuit charged Dairy Farmers of America; its marketing arm, Dairy Marketing Services; and Dallas-based Dean Foods with working together to monopolize the market for raw milk in the Northeast.
Read more: lancasteronline.com/news/national/judge-approves-m-settlement-to-dairy-farmers-some-lancaster-dairymen/article_c82b24a4-2d01-11e6-86d2-a338ea8a4387.html
A federal judge in Vermont on Tuesday approved a $50 million settlement to be paid by a national dairy marketing cooperative to thousands of Northeast dairy farmers, but Lancaster County dairyman Mike Eby says he and more than 120 of his fellow farmers have opted out and will move ahead with a separate lawsuit of their own.
“We were fearful the judge would view the settlement the way she has,” Eby, of Gordonville, said upon learning of the decision Tuesday afternoon.
Under the settlement, Dairy Farmers of America will pay an average of $4,000 apiece to about 8,860 farms to resolve a lawsuit that accused the marketing group of trying to drive down milk prices.
The 2009 class-action lawsuit charged Dairy Farmers of America; its marketing arm, Dairy Marketing Services; and Dallas-based Dean Foods with working together to monopolize the market for raw milk in the Northeast.
Read more: lancasteronline.com/news/national/judge-approves-m-settlement-to-dairy-farmers-some-lancaster-dairymen/article_c82b24a4-2d01-11e6-86d2-a338ea8a4387.html