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Englishعربي
John Deere has agreed to pay $99 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the farm equipment giant of monopolizing repair services and restricting farmers' ability to fix their own tractors and machinery.[1] The proposed settlement, filed in federal court in Illinois, directs the funds to class members who paid Deere or its authorized dealers for repairs on large agricultural equipment from January 10, 2018, until preliminary approval of the deal.[1][2]
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleged that Deere withheld critical repair software and conspired with dealers to force farmers into using official services, leading to higher "supracompetitive" prices and limiting access to independent repairs.[1] Farmers have long battled the company over these right-to-repair issues, arguing that locked-down diagnostics and software prevented timely, cost-effective fixes during planting and harvest seasons.[2] As reported by The Drive and echoed on sites like Slashdot and Hacker News, this marks a landmark win after years of advocacy, though Deere insists it admits no wrongdoing.[2]
Deere, based in Moline, Illinois, emphasized its commitment to customer support in a statement from vice president Denver Caldwell, who said the settlement allows the company "to move forward and remain focused on what matters most — serving our customers."[1] The agreement also includes injunctive relief, such as enhanced availability of repair resources and diagnostic tools, to address some of the plaintiffs' core complaints without conceding liability.[1][2]
This resolution affects thousands of farmers and individuals who participated in the class action, providing financial relief for past repair costs while potentially easing future access to tools for self-repairs.[1] The settlement still requires final court approval, after which eligible class members can claim from the fund.[1]
Beyond this case, Deere faces ongoing scrutiny, including a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission filed in January 2025. The FTC accused the company of unfair practices that inflated repair costs and delayed fixes for farmers, claims Deere called baseless at the time.[1] These developments highlight broader tensions in the agricultural sector, where equipment downtime can mean lost income, and right-to-repair advocates continue pushing for federal legislation to prevent similar restrictions across industries.