AG Bonta, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 17 attorneys general and alongside the U.S. Department of Justice, announced a settlement with egg producers Cal-Maine Foods, Versova, and Hickman’s, resolving allegations that they conspired to raise the cost of eggs nationwide. As part of the settlement, the egg producers will pay $3.3 million to the states, agree to refrain from all conduct illegally conspiring to raise egg prices, and will donate over 53 million eggs to food banks in the coalition states, including 8.9 million eggs — or 741,666 egg cartons — that will go directly to California food banks.

“As Californians scrambled to feed their families, three egg producers conspired to act illegally and hatched a plan to raise the cost of eggs nationwide. My office and our federal and state partners stepped in, and as part of our settlement, California food banks from Siskiyou County to San Diego County will receive 8.9 million eggs. I am proud to deliver these eggs to the people of California and grateful for the critical work our food banks do every day to ensure food gets into the hands of Californians in need. My office is committed to cracking down on companies that run afoul of the law and unlawfully conspire to raise prices for Californians who are already struggling with a crisis of affordability. Let me be clear: In California we have zero tolerance for bad eggs.” -AG Bonta