Have You Bought Chicken In Rockford? You May Get A Payout For It

I know. The headline would leave the average reader with the impression that they might get some cash simply because they bought chicken in Rockford. That would be laughable...if it weren't absolutely true.

Okay, maybe I held back one pertinent bit of information. You have to have purchased the chicken sometime within the last ten years or so. If the last time you bought yourself some chicken at the store was before 2009, then it seems as though you're out of luck.

It May Seem Really Strange, But The Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Is Very Real

You probably already guessed that the reason behind a cash payout for buying chicken isn't chicken companies wanting to send you a big thank you for buying their poultry. It's because of a class-action lawsuit brought against Fieldale Farms Corporation, George’s, Mar-Jac Poultry, Peco Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, and Tyson Foods.

Why The Lawsuit, And More Importantly, What's The Payout?

According to an official release on the lawsuit, "Defendants and their co-conspirators conspired to stabilize the price and supply of chicken, as of January 1, 2009, in violation of federal and state consumer and antitrust laws. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreements, the Settling Defendants will pay a total of $181,000,000 to resolve all Settlement Class claims against them and their affiliates.

That information was released with approval from United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. However, the settlements need final approval by the court at a hearing on December 20th of this year before any money is paid.

Who Exactly Is Eligible For This Payout?

With a few minor exceptions, anyone who bought chicken from a store in Illinois, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

Here are the types of chicken purchases that are eligible:

...members of the Settlement Class are defined as all persons and entities who indirectly purchased fresh or frozen raw chicken (defined as whole birds (with or without giblets), whole cut-up birds purchased within a package, or "white meat" parts including breasts and wings (or cuts containing a combination of these), but excluding chicken that is marketed as halal, kosher, free range, or organic) from Defendants or alleged co-conspirators for personal consumption, from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2020.

You've got to file your claim by December 31st, 2022. Click here to check your eligibility and file a claim.