NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states reached settlement agreements with three major egg producers this week to resolve allegations that the companies illegally colluded for years to raise prices, including when the cost soared to record highs last year.
The states and federal government accused Cal-Maine Foods, Versova and Hickman’s Egg Ranch of a behind-the-scenes arrangement to “artificially inflate the daily price quotations for eggs" between June 2022 and March 2025. In particular, their investigation found that the companies coordinated on what bids they would submit to Urner Barry Publications, a company that runs an index key to determining how much grocery stores, restaurants and others pay for billions of eggs each year.
In turn, that meant “higher prices for eggs sold to consumers,” alleged the complaint, which was filed in Iowa on Monday, the day the settlement terms were announced.
“When powerful corporations collude behind the scenes to raise prices, working families suffer the costs,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, who helped lead the investigation, said in a statement. “These egg producers manipulated the market to squeeze even more profit out of consumers and businesses."
None of the companies admitted wrongdoing under the settlements. But to settle the states' claims, Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman's will collectively be on the hook for $3.3 million and 53 million eggs, James and others said. Those eggs would be donated by the companies and make their ways to food banks and nonprofits. The money will be distributed to the states.
The Justice Department and the states also outlined actions the companies will need to take, including adopting antitrust compliance programs and banning communicating with competitors on pricing and bidding strategies.
The settlements would still need court approval. The Justice Department's Omeed A. Assefi said Tuesday that the proposed settlements “resolve years of conduct that dragged on Americans’ finances and their everyday lives.”
Average U.S. egg prices soared to a record high of about $6.23 per dozen in March 2025, amid a bird flu epidemic that forced farmers to slaughter millions of egg-laying chickens. Egg producers blamed price spike on the outbreak, but critics accused big companies of taking advantage of their market dominance and the government began its investigation.
Monday’s complaint notes that price quotations “dropped significantly” after Cal-Maine, Versova and Hickman’s learned of the Justice Department’s investigation and were instructed to preserve documents in March 2025. Consumer egg prices also later tumbled — to under $2.20 per dozen as of May 2026 — as replenished flocks caught up despite the ongoing outbreak.
Cal-Maine maintained Monday that allegations of price manipulation were “baseless” and that it believes its conduct has been legal. It also noted that while it was part of a cooperative with the other egg producers, it left the group in May 2024.
Still, Cal-Maine CEO Sherman Miller said the company's settlement agreement “enables us to move forward so we can devote our full attention to what matters most: delivering affordable, high-quality eggs and egg-based prepared foods to consumers nationwide.”
Miller added the period the Justice Department reviewed “was a particularly challenging time” — noting that, beyond avian flu, the COVID-19 pandemic, weather and other market conditions have contributed to temporary supply shocks and high prices in recent years. He said Cal-Maine “took numerous steps to protect and grow its hen flock” in that time.
Versova echoed a similar sentiment, particularly pointing to the toll the bird flu has had on its farmers, who it noted “don’t set the wholesale price of eggs.” Instead, Versova said the price of most of its eggs depends on cost fluctuations of grain used in hen feeds.
Meanwhile, Hickman's owner Mantiqueira USA, which acquired the egg producer in November, said the “conduct referenced in the complaint predates our acquisition," noting that it is committed to complying with the law.
Some advocacy groups say the proposed settlements aren't enough.
“Consumers paid record prices while dominant egg producers reported extraordinary profits, yet the result is another settlement that corporations can treat as the cost of doing business rather than meaningful accountability,” said Angela Huffman, president of Farm Action.
Cal-Maine — the only of the three companies that is public and reports quarterly financials — reported a profit of $1.22 billion for the 2025 fiscal year. Under its settlement agreement with the states, the company would pay $1.5 million and donate 30 million eggs.
Meanwhile, per court documents, Versova would provide 20 million eggs and $800,000, and Hickman's would be on the hook for 3.25 million eggs and $1 million.
In addition to New York, these states were party to the settlement agreements: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
FILE - Eggs are for sale at a grocery store Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley,File)
LONDON (AP) — The roars began even before Serena Williams stepped on Centre Court. Then they grew louder when the 23-time Grand Slam champion arrived to play her first singles match in nearly four years.
And when it was all over and the 44-year-old Williams had performed admirably in a three-set defeat to an opponent less than half her age in the opening round of Wimbledon with her two daughters cheering her on, Williams smiled as she walked off to a loud round of applause.
“It was really great to be back at Wimbledon. I never expected to be here,” Williams, who did not meet with media after the match, said in a statement released by Wimbledon organizers. “The atmosphere was amazing. Walking out was amazing. I definitely relished it and missed it and enjoyed the moment more than anything.”
In a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 loss to 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday, Williams showed she can still crank out serves faster than 120 mph and dictate points with her heavy groundstrokes.
Movement was an issue for Williams, though, and the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle Williams' pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond the American's reach.
While Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated, she hadn’t played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open.
“She has such an aura, she’s just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it,” Joint added. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”
Williams has 98 career victories and seven titles in singles on the hallowed grass of the All England Club. By contrast, it was Joint’s first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance at the All England Club after losing in the opening round last year.
But Joint won a Wimbledon warmup in nearby Eastbourne last year and knows how to play on grass.
Williams, who has no singles ranking after being out for so long, was given wild card invitations by Wimbledon organizers to play singles and also doubles with older sister Venus. Her doubles match will come later in the week.
Williams has said that having her two daughters off from school inspired her comeback and it marked the first time that her youngest daughter, Adira, who is almost three, saw her play singles. Adira sat next to her 8-year-old sister, Olympia in the front row of Serena’s players’ box.
Fans started cheering when Williams' name was announced as the next match on Centre Court and then they gave her a standing ovation as she walked out before the match started under a closed roof. Several supporters held up signs with messages like “Welcome Back” and one wore a T-shirt that said “Unstoppable Queen.”
Williams executed a delicate topspin lob winner early on and then cranked out a 121 mph ace to hold for 3-3 in the first set. But Williams also had a costly double-fault which led to the only break of the first set.
In the second set, Williams came back from 0-40 and saved four break points to hold for 6-5. Then Williams saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a big serve down the T followed by a forehand approach winner. Another big serve — clocking in at 122 mph — set up Serena’s first set point, which she converted when Joint missed a forehand long.
After winning the set, Williams pumped her fist calmly.
But Joint took control early in the third and a forehand from Williams sailed long on Joint’s third match point to conclude the encounter after 2 hours, 22 minutes.
Williams and Joint both had 37 unforced errors, while Joint led 40-26 in winners.
After the opening day featured wins for No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, along with Novak Djokovic, French Open champion Alexander Zverev and defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek made it into the second round on Tuesday.
In a match between hard servers, the second-seeded Zverev beat Alexander Blockx 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).
Swiatek, who had her father and sister looking on from the Royal Box, struggled with her serve and committed nine double-faults before overcoming Taylor Townsend 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
No. 2 Elena Rybakina also advanced, beating Lois Boisson 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Fourth-seeded Ben Shelton, a quarterfinalist here last year, lost to 140th-ranked Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen in five sets, going out 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (9).
Also, 2021 finalist Matteo Berrettini beat Stan Wawrinka 6-7 (7), 7-6 (16), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). It was the final Wimbledon match for Wawrinka, who plans to retire at the end of the year.
AP Sports Writers Mattias Karen and Ken Maguire contributed to this report.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Serena Williams of the United States greets the audience as she leaves after losing to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States serves against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Maya Joint of Australia plays a forehand against Serena Williams of the United States in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States celebrates winning a point against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball to Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Venus Williams of the United States and her husband Andrea Preti stand on the royal box to watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena's William husband Alexis Ohanian stand with their daughters Olympia and Adira on the stands, as they wait to watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena's William husband Alexis Ohanian and their daughters Olympia and Adira watch the first round women's singles match between Serena Williams of the United States and Maya Joint of Australia, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States enters the centre court to play against Maya Joint of Australia in their first round women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Iga Swiatek of Poland gets emotional after winning her first round women's singles match against Taylor Townsend of the United States, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Iga Swiatek of Poland gets emotional after winning her first round women's singles match against Taylor Townsend of the United States, at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives for a practice session ahead of her women's singles match against Maya Joint of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.(AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Serena Williams of the United States, left, arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Serena Williams of the United States arrives to practice one day ahead of the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, June 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
