Why Did an Alleged Egg Cartel End in a Civil Settlement?

Not every alleged cartel ends with criminal convictions. Some competition cases instead end in civil settlements, with remedies imposed but no admission that the law was violated.

At first glance, that may seem surprising. If competitors coordinated their conduct, why would the government settle rather than prosecute them criminally?

The settlement involving Cal-Maine Foods, Hickman’s Egg Ranch, and Versova illustrates why the answer is not always straightforward. The companies agreed to pay $3.3 million, donate well over 53 milli…