Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill Meat Solutions and Swift & Co.

Three cattle producers filed a class action suit against the three beef companies for allegedly using incorrect government beef prices to drive down cattle prices. From April 2, 2001 to May 11, 2001 calculating errors by the U.S. Agriculture Department caused beef prices to be quoted lower than they should have been in the USDA's daily boxed beef reports. A federal jury in South Dakota recommended fines totaling $9.25 million. Tyson Foods Inc. is set to pay $4 million, Cargill Meat Solutions must pay $3 million and Swift & Co. has been ordered to pay $2.25 million. (Apr-12-06) [REUTERS]