Bought milk in Kansas? You’re owed money – but not as much as you think

If you bought milk or other fresh dairy products while living in Kansas, you could be eligible to receive part of a $52 million settlement.

But you may not get as much as you think.

The settlement that’s drawing renewed attention on social media grew out of an antitrust class action lawsuit filed in 2011 that accuses the National Milk Producers Federation of a nationwide price-fixing conspiracy. The suit alleges that dairy cooperatives – Cooperatives Working Together, Dairy Farmers of America, Land O’Lakes, Dairylea Cooperative and Agri-Mark – did so by slaughtering more than half a million cows earlier than usual to limit raw farm milk production and drive up grocery prices, according to Huffington Post and Bloomberg reports from September.

The group denies wrongdoing. But it agreed to pay to resolve the case.

Residents of 15 states, including Kansas, and the District of Columbia who have made purchases since 2003 may be eligible for the settlement money.

Reports about the settlement that have popped up online over the past few days put the possible per-person payout amount at between $45 and $70 – and even more, $1,200-plus, for those who bought dairy products for, say, students at an after-school program that the kids didn’t have to pay for.

But on Tuesday afternoon, the website where people are encouraged to submit their claims, www.boughtmilk.com, listed the potential per-person payout amount at $10 to $20. The amount for entities was $280 to $560.

So why the difference?

The amount a person ultimately receives will depend on the number of people claiming they are owed a piece of the settlement.

In class action lawsuits, a plaintiff sues on behalf of an entire group of people, and then the proceeds are divvied up.

In general, more claimants means less cash per person.

If you want to be a part of the milk class action lawsuit, you have until Jan. 31 to make a claim. You can do that at www.boughtmilk.com or by postal mail sent to Fresh Milk Products Antitrust Litigation, P.O. Box 43430, Providence, RI 02940-3430.

To be eligible, you must have purchased milk or fresh milk products during 2003 or after while you were a resident of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia or Wisconsin.

Proof of purchase isn’t required. But you must have purchased the products for yourself, your household or your organization to consume and not for resale.

Fresh milk products include cream, half and half, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese and sour cream.

Eligible claimants will receive a cash payment to an online account like Amazon, PayPal or Google Wallet.

Up to $21.8 million of the $52 million settlement will go to pay for attorneys’ fees and other costs associated with the lawsuit, according to the website.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Bought milk in Kansas? You’re owed money – but not as much as you think."