Koch Foods Inc. reached an agreement with the Department of Justice to settle claims on anticompetitive practices in the chicken-processing market.

The fifth-largest poultry processor in the US was accused of harassing and requiring chicken farmers to pay substantial termination penalties to switch from working for Koch to a rival chicken processor. Under the deal, Koch was prohibited from penalizing bird suppliers willing to work for other companies and required to return certain expenses, fees and penalties it unlawfully imposed on them, the DOJ said in a statement.

Author: Gerson Freitas Jr.