Dairy foods giant Dean Foods, Dallas, plans to contest a complaint filed last week by the Department of Justice challenging Dean's April 2009 acquisition of Foremost Farms.

Said Dean, "The company believes its acquisition of the DePere and Waukesha, Wis., fluid milk processing plants from Foremost is fully compliant with antitrust laws, and will defend itself vigorously against the complaint.

"The company believes that, from the time of the acquisition almost a year ago, this transaction has benefited Wisconsin dairy farmers by providing a stable and growing outlet for their milk," Dean continued. "In addition, the transaction already has produced important cost savings that will benefit customers and spur competition in and around Wisconsin. It promises to deliver even greater customer benefits once the DePere and Waukesha plants are fully integrated into the Dean network . . . The company believes an objective judicial review of the facts will reveal that competition is alive and flourishing in Wisconsin."