A court in Missouri has given the go-ahead for a class action lawsuit against Dairy Farmers of America.

The class action lawsuit alleges that DFA along with co-conspirators were in violation of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act after they sought to control the supply of raw farm milk and inflated the prices of milk and fresh dairy products.

The case, filed by two citizens on behalf of all Missouri citizens, also alleges that from 2004, DFA and its co-conspirators conspired to overcharge direct and indirect purchasers in Missouri.

A spokesperson for Dairy Farmers of America said: “We believe these claims to be without merit and have vigorously defended ourselves. We take our responsibility to our members, customers, consumers and other stakeholders seriously and believe our actions to be lawful.”