Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Cattle ranchers from three states have sued the nation's four largest meatpackers -- Excel Corp., ConAgra Beef Co., Farmland National Beef Packing Co. and IBP -- saying the companies engaged in insider trading, The Associated Press reports.

LITTLE ROCK - Union workers at Kroger agreed Sunday to a new contract, avoiding a potential strike, The Associated Press reports.

NEW YORK - Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against A&P on behalf of a shareholder group, alleging that the company violated the federal securities laws by issuing materially false and misleading statements that artificially inflated the market price of its securities.

WASHINGTON - The ConAgra Beef Co. is voluntarily recalling 354,200 pounds (160,700 kg) of ground beef products because they may be contaminated with potentially deadly E.coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Sunday.

WASHINGON - The Food Marketing Institute and National Council of Chain Restaurants on Thursday unveiled their first comprehensive guidelines for the humane treatment of farm animals.

FLORIDA, N.Y. - Big V Supermarkets said Thursday the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has approved its reorganization plan, which calls for the acquisition of substantially all Big V's assets by Wakefern Food Corp.

WASHINGTON - Accepting a staff recommendation made more than a year ago, the Federal Trade Commission has unanimously denied a request by three trade associations that it issue guidelines on slotting allowances.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Supervalu Inc. said Tuesday it will take an after tax charge of $19 million to $21 million because of intentional inventory misstatements by a former employee over at least four years, The Associated Press reports.