U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Arkansas Poultry Company Appeal

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The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by an Arkansas-based company that was ordered to pay $14.5 million to Oklahoma poultry farmers.

The court declined without comment to hear the appeal by Fort Smith-based O.K. Industries Inc.

Oklahoma poultry farmers who had contracts to supply the company with chickens filed the lawsuit in 2002 claiming that the contracts were anti-competitive. The farmers said O.K. Industries used its power as the only poultry buyer in the area to manipulate lower prices for chickens.

O.K. Industries said the farmers failed to prove their claims.

A federal jury in 2008 awarded the farmers $21.1 million. The amount that was lowered to $14.5 million by the judge in the case.