Case Law Index
Production Contracts

January 1, 2002 - March 1, 2011

This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving the Production Contracts that were decided on or after January 1, 2002. For those cases that have been summarized by the National Agricultural Law Center, a link is provided to the summary. The index will be regularly updated to reflect new judicial developments. The cases are listed in reverse chronological order.

The "Text" link goes to the freely available Google Scholar text of the opinion; the "Summary" link goes to a summary of the opinion written by the National Agricultural Law Center staff.

FIRST CIRCUIT

Sleeper Farms v. Agway, Inc., 506 F.3d 98 (1st Cir. 2007) (enforcement of arbitration clause)   Text   |    Summary

Sleeper Farms v. Agway, Inc., 460 F. Supp. 2d 184 (D. Me. 2006)  Text   |    Summary

Sleeper Farms v. Agway, Inc., 211 F. Supp. 2d 197 (D. Me. 2002)(arbitration clause)  Text   |    Summary

FOURTH CIRCUIT

Griffin v. Smithfield Foods, Inc., 183 F. Supp. 2d 824 (E.D. Va. 2002)  Text   |    Summary

FIFTH CIRCUIT

In re Pilgrim's Pride Corp., No. 08-454664 (DML), 2011 WL 771675 (Bktrcy. N.D.Tex. March 2, 2011) (allegations of PSA violations for plant closures)

Bell v. Koch Foods of Miss., LLC, No. 09-60433, 2009 WL 4885174 (5th Cir. Dec. 16, 2009) (granting arbitration on production contracts)  Text

City of Clinton v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 654 F.Supp.2d 536 (N.D. Tex. 2009) (claim of favorable treatment to one contract grower; violations of state consumer protection act)  Text

Bell v. Koch Foods of Miss., LLC, No. 3:08-cv-697-WHB-LRA, 2009 WL 1259054 (S.D. Miss. May 5, 2009) (granting motion to compel arbitration on broiler grower agreements)  Text

In re Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 403 B.R. 413 (Bankr. N.D. Tex. 2009) (debtors in possession allowed to reject certain growers' contracts)  Text   |    Summary

White v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp, No. 2-07-CV-522 (TJW), 2008 WL 4471656 (E.D. Tex. Sept. 29, 2008) (growers' challenges to broiler contracts)   Summary

Wheeler v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 536 F.3d 455 (5th Cir. 2008), reh'g en banc granted, 576 F.3d 532 (5th Cir. 2009) (growers not required to show adverse effect upon competition)  Text   |    Summary

Wheeler v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 246 F.R.D. 532 (E.D. Tex. 2007) (class certification of anti-trust suit)

Steed v. Sanderson Farms, Inc., No. 2:05cv02146-KS-MTP, 2006 WL 2844546 (S.D. Miss. Sept. 29, 2006)  Text   |    Summary

SIXTH CIRCUIT

Sierra Club, Inc. v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 299 F. Supp. 2d 693 (W.D. Ky. 2003)(liability under CERCLA)  Text   |    Summary

EIGHTH CIRCUIT

Swift & Co. v. Elias Farms, Inc., 539 F.3d 849 (8th Cir. 2008) (breach of production contract; no breach of state consumer fraud law)  Text   |    Summary

Winfrey v. Simmons Foods, Inc., 495 F.3d 549 (8th Cir. July 19, 2007)  Text   |    Summary

Hudson v. ConAgra Poultry Co., 484 F.3d 496 (8th Cir. 2007) (enforcement of arbitration clause)  Text   |    Summary

Winfrey v. Simmons Foods, Inc., No. 03-2237, 2006 WL 2792166 (W.D. Ark. Sept. 30, 2006)   Summary

Winfrey v. Simmons Foods, Inc., No. 03-2237, 2006 WL 2564206 (W.D. Ark. Sept. 6, 2006)   Summary

Hecksel v. Cent. Livestock Ass'n, No. Civ. 03-2604 JRTJSM, 2005 WL 2406032 (D. Minn. Sept. 29, 2005)(cattle feeding contract)   Summary

Wiser v. Wayne Farms, 411 F.3d 923 (8th Cir. 2005)  Text   |    Summary

Roe v. Cargill Inc., 333 F. Supp. 2d 808 (W.D. Ark. 2004)(bad faith in production contracts)  Text   |    Summary

Kinkaid v. John Morrell & Co., 321 F. Supp. 2d 1090 (N.D. Iowa 2004)  Text   |    Summary

Overgaard v. Rock County Bd. of Comm'rs, No. Civ.A.02-601(DWF/AJB), 2003 WL 21744235 (D. Minn. July 25, 2003) (hog operation challenged)   Summary

Schoenrock v. John Morrell & Co., Nos. Civ. 03-848 JRTFLN, Civ. 03-849 JRTFLN, Civ. 03-853 JRTFLN, Civ. 03-854 JRTFLN, 2003 WL 21639161 (D. Minn. July 2, 2003)   Summary

Overgaard v. Rock County Bd. of Comm'rs, No. Civ. 02-601(DWF/AJB), 2002 WL 31924522 (D. Minn. Dec. 30, 2002)(contractor's control over feedlot)    Summary

NINTH CIRCUIT

Bybee Farms LLC v. Snake River Sugar Co., 625 F.Supp.2d 1073 (E.D. Wash. Sept. 29, 2008) (breach of production contract)  Text   |    Summary

TENTH CIRCUIT

Been v. O.K. Indus., No. 08-7078, 2010 WL 3995981 (10th Cir. 2010) (affirmation of poultry producer's liability under the Packers and Stockyards Act)  Text

Luft Farms, LLC v. W. Sugar Coop., No. 08-cv-02014-WYD-CBS, 2009 WL 426240 (D. Colo. Feb. 20, 2009) (violations of Agricultural Fair Practices Act)

Been v. O.K. Indus., Inc., No. Civ. 02-285-RAW, 2008 WL 2704470 (E.D. Okla. July 03, 2008) (denying new trial in unconscionability of production contract)  Text   |    Summary

Been v. O.K. Indus., Inc., 495 F.3d 1217 (10th Cir. 2007)  Text

Excel Corp. v. USDA, 397 F.3d 1285 (10th Cir. 2005)(grading and pricing under PSA)  Text   |    Summary

Delashaw v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 100 Fed. App'x 762 (10th Cir. 2004)   Summary

City of Tulsa v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 258 F. Supp. 2d 1263 (N.D. Okla. 2003)  Text

ELEVENTH CIRCUIT

Adkins v. Cagle Foods JV, LLC, 411 F.3d 1320 (11th Cir. 2005)(deception necessary for PSA violation)  Text   |    Summary

Mims v. Cagle Foods JV, LLC, 148 Fed. App'x 762 (11th Cir. 2005)   Summary

Wheeler v. Cagle Foods JV, LLC, 148 Fed. App'x 760 (11th Cir. 2005)   Summary

Wells v. Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., No. 5:04-CV-83 (WDO), 2005 WL 1127129 (M.D. Ga. May 12, 2005)

Pickett v. Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., 420 F.3d 1272 (11th Cir. 2005)(PSA and Marketing Agreements)  Text   |    Summary

London v. Fieldale Farms Corp., 410 F.3d 1295 (11th Cir. 2005)(PSA section 202 interpreted)  Text   |    Summary

Pickett v. Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., 315 F. Supp. 2d 1172 (M.D. Ala. 2004)  Text   |    Summary

London v. Fieldale Farms Corp., No. Civ. 2:01-CV-202-WCO, 2003 WL 23750660 (N.D. Ga. 2003)   Summary

ALABAMA

Goolesby v. Koch Farms, LLC, 955 So. 2d 422 (Ala. 2006)(damages calculation)  Text   |    Summary

ARKANSAS

Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Archer, 147 S.W.3d 681 (Ark. 2004)(validity of arbitration agreement)  Text   |    Summary

Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Davis, 66 S.W.3d 568 (Ark. 2002)(state law action against food processor)  Text   |    Summary

CALIFORNIA

Batth v. Lion Raisins, Inc., No. F051590, 2008 WL 1838134 (Cal. Ct. App. April 25, 2008) (validity of production contract)  Text

GEORGIA

Blockum v. Fieldale Farms Corp., 610 S.E.2d 82 (Ga. Ct. App. 2005)  Text   |    Summary

Blockum v. Fieldale Farms Corp., 585 S.E.2d 233 (Ga. Ct. App. 2003)  Text   |    Summary

Blockum v. Fieldale Farms Corp., 573 S.E.2d 36 (Ga. 2002)(action against integrator)  Text   |    Summary

IOWA

Powell v. Swine Graphics Enter., No. 00-2002, 2002 WL 180883 (Iowa Ct. App. Feb. 6, 2002)   Summary

LOUISIANA

Miller v. Conagra, Inc., 991 So.2d 445 (La. 2008)(breach of broiler contract)  Text   |    Summary

Miller v. Conagra, Inc., 970 So.2d 1268 (La. Ct. App. 2007) (breach of contract by processor)  Text

MINNESOTA

Cargill Inc. v. Jorgenson Farms, 719 N.W.2d 226 (Minn. Ct. App. 2006)(formation by acquiescence)  Text   |    Summary

MISSISSIPPI

Gatlin v. Sanderson Farms, Inc., 953 So. 2d 220 (Miss. 2007)(breach of contract)  Text   |    Summary

Tyson Breeders, Inc. v. Harrison, 940 So. 2d 230 (Miss. 2006)(Circuit and Chancery Courts' jurisdiction)  Text   |    Summary

Sanderson Farms Inc. v. Ballard, 917 So. 2d 783 (Miss. 2005)(failed fraud claim)  Text   |    Summary

Gatlin v. Sanderson Farms, Inc., 848 So. 2d 828 (Miss. 2003)  Text

SOUTH DAKOTA

Consolidated Nutrition, L.C. v. IBP, Inc., 669 N.W.2d 126 (S.D. 2003)  Text