John Deere owners will soon have significantly more freedom to perform repairs on their own machinery following a major settlement reached Wednesday. The Federal Trade Commission, alongside attorneys general from Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, secured an agreement with the agricultural manufacturing giant that mandates the company provide farmers and independent repair shops with the necessary resources to service their equipment.
For several years, the Illinois-based manufacturer faced intense criticism for restricting access to essential software and repair tools, effectively forcing customers to rely exclusively on authorized dealerships. The antitrust lawsuit, which was initiated in January 2025, argued that these restrictions illegally hampered the ability of owners and independent mechanics to service tractors, as well as forestry, construction, and landscaping equipment.
Under the terms of the pending order, which awaits approval from Judge Iain D. Johnston, Deere is required to make diagnostic and repair tools accessible to the public rather than limiting them to its own dealer network. Furthermore, the agreement prohibits Deere from retaliating against equipment owners or independent shops that choose to conduct their own repairs. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes stated that the move ends a period where farmers were at the mercy of a monopoly, forced to pay for and wait on authorized dealers for simple fixes.
This settlement marks the second time this year that Deere has addressed right-to-repair concerns, following a $99 million class-action settlement in April. While the previous deal focused on consumer compensation, this FTC-led mandate centers on operational changes. As part of the agreement, Deere must pay $1 million to the five states to cover antitrust enforcement costs and will remain under strict compliance oversight for the next decade.
While Deere previously defended its practices by claiming its distribution of service tools was not anticompetitive and that it could not monopolize services it does not directly provide, the company has now expressed a commitment to these new repair options. Denver Caldwell, vice president of aftermarket and customer support at Deere, described the agreement as positive news for customers and the future of equipment support.
A John Deer emblem is seen at the Husker Harvest Days farm show in Wood River, Neb., Sept. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
John Deere tractors sit in Norfolk Southern’s Conway Yard in Conway, Pa., Dec. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
