A lawsuit was filed last month in Vermont alleging that Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) manipulated trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), Cheese Spot, and the Milk Futures market to drive up the price of dairy products across the U.S. The lawsuit claims that DFA bought cheese on the CME Cheese Spot despite having an inordinate supply of cheese and having no use for the cheese being bought, and it alleges the DFA bought CME milk futures contracts to simulate demand driving up prices. In 2008 DFA had been fined $12 million following an investigation into its trading activity on the CME markets, and more recently agreed to pay $158.6 million to settle a 2007 lawsuit alleging it conspired with Dean Foods to suppress raw milk prices in 14 states.