Deere Settles FTC, State Antitrust Case Over Farm Equipment Repair Access

According to Reuters, in a report by Mike Scarcella, the agreement resolves litigation brought by the FTC and five states, which accused Deere of steering farmers toward its authorized dealer network by restricting access to the software and tools needed to complete many equipment repairs. The lawsuit alleged those practices reduced competition in the repair market and increased costs for farmers.

The settlement marks another significant development in the long-running debate over “right to repair” policies, which have drawn increasing attention from regulators, lawmakers and private litigants concerned that manufacturers can use software controls and proprietary diagnostic systems to limit independent repair options.

The FTC’s complaint, filed in January 2025 alongside several state attorneys general, alleged that Deere maintained monopoly power in certain repair services by making its comprehensive diagnostic software available only to authorized dealers. Regulators argued that farmers were often left with few practical alternatives for servicing equipment that is essential during planting and harvesting seasons, resulting in higher repair expenses and longer delays.

Reuters reported that Deere denied violating antitrust law while agreeing to settle the case. The company has consistently maintained that it supports customers’ ability to repair equipment and has disputed regulators’ characterization of its repair policies.

Read more: John Deere Faces New Antitrust Lawsuit Over Equipment Repair Restrictions

The settlement follows a separate but related legal resolution announced earlier this year. In April, Deere agreed to pay $99 million to settle a private class-action lawsuit brought by farmers over repair restrictions. That agreement also included commitments to expand access to digital diagnostic and repair tools for certain agricultural equipment over the next decade, although the company admitted no wrongdoing.

The FTC’s enforcement action formed part of a broader federal effort to examine whether manufacturers’ repair policies unlawfully restrict competition. Regulators have argued that limiting access to repair software and technical information can reinforce market concentration by preventing independent repair businesses from competing with authorized service providers. Similar concerns have surfaced across industries ranging from consumer electronics to medical devices and automotive products, prompting legislative and regulatory initiatives in multiple states.

The Deere case has also attracted attention because of the company’s prominent position in the agricultural equipment market. Regulators alleged that farmers’ dependence on specialized machinery, combined with proprietary software controls, gave the manufacturer substantial influence over post-sale repair services. Deere has rejected those allegations, arguing that it already provides customers with a range of repair resources and that the government’s legal claims misrepresented its practices.

Before the settlement, a federal judge had allowed the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit to proceed, finding that the government’s allegations were sufficient to move forward in court despite Deere’s request for dismissal. That ruling kept alive claims that the company’s repair policies may have unlawfully restrained competition in the market for servicing Deere equipment.

Source: Reuters