Pork buyers are urging a Minnesota federal court to keep the long-running pork price-fixing litigation moving, arguing that major producers and Agri Stats should not be allowed to hit pause while they pursue an appeal aimed at forcing the judge’s recusal.
The request comes as the defendants seek to temporarily halt proceedings while they ask the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to review their effort to remove the presiding judge. The recusal push stems from concerns related to a former law clerk’s past work in a separate matter — a point the producers and Agri Stats argue raises fairness questions.
Buyers counter that the issue has already been addressed by the court and that there is no basis for delaying the case. They argue that a stay would stall progress, slow momentum in discovery, and ultimately harm the plaintiffs who have been seeking relief for years.
The litigation centers on allegations that major pork companies shared sensitive market data and coordinated production cuts in ways that artificially elevated prices. Agri Stats, a benchmarking and analytics provider, is accused of enabling information exchanges that helped shape industry-wide supply decisions. The companies deny wrongdoing and maintain that any data sharing or production shifts were lawful and driven by market conditions.
A pause in the proceedings would freeze upcoming deadlines and potentially postpone trial-related timelines. Buyers say that delay would give defendants a strategic advantage while doing nothing to advance resolution.
For now, the judge is weighing the arguments, and no stay has been granted. The decision will influence whether the case proceeds through its next phase or enters another period of waiting — a familiar pattern in one of the most significant antitrust battles facing the protein sector.
Swine Web will continue to follow developments as they unfold.
