Deere & Company Agrees to $99 Million Settlement Over Right-to-Repair Dispute - EconoTimes
Deere & Company settled a $99 million class-action lawsuit regarding farmers' access to repair services for their equipment.Summary
Deere & Company has agreed to a $99 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit alleging restrictions on farmers’ access to affordable repair services. The settlement, filed in federal court in Chicago, will compensate farmers who paid Deere-authorized dealers for repairs on equipment like tractors and combines between January 2018 and the present. Crucially, Deere has committed to providing farmers with access to necessary digital diagnostic and repair tools for ten years, a victory for right-to-repair advocates who contend manufacturers create costly repair monopolies.
Despite the settlement, Deere maintains it did nothing wrong. The agreement awaits judicial approval, and Deere simultaneously faces a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging deliberate obstruction of farmers’ access to repair tools and information. A judge ruled in 2025 that the FTC case will proceed, and Deere continues to deny these allegations.
This settlement’s outcome is expected to influence other manufacturers’ repair access policies as right-to-repair legislation gains traction across the U.S., potentially reshaping industry standards and promoting more affordable and accessible repair options for farmers and other consumers.
(Source：Econotimes)