Tyson Wins Cattle Pricing Appeal

NEW YORK - Aug 17/05 - SNS -- Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., a subsidiary of Tyson Foods, has won another appeal in a cattle pricing lawsuit.

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed Judge Lyle Strom’s decision last year to reverse a jury verdict against Tyson. Both the appeals court and Judge Strom found that Tyson did not violate the law through its supply agreements with independent cattle producers and Tyson has legitimate business reasons for entering into such agreements.

The plaintiffs, who prefer the sale of cattle through daily negotiated cash markets, had claimed Tyson used cattle marketing agreements to manipulate the price of cattle, and asked the federal courts to enjoin the use of marketing agreements. After losing in district court, the plaintiffs appealed to the 11th Circuit, which heard oral arguments late last year in Montgomery, Alabama.

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