U.S. — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement with John Deere on Wednesday. The agreement requires John Deere to provide farmers and third-party repair shops with the same equipment and repair resources available to official John Deere dealers.

This settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in 2025 that accused John Deere of unlawfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power in the market for repair services for its farm equipment. The required access includes software capabilities for tasks such as reading and resetting codes and pairing with other software.

John Deere must provide this level of access, equipment, and services for 10 years, during which time the FTC will monitor compliance. The Federal Trade Commission began its investigation into John Deere in 2021, under the leadership of then-chair Lina Khan.

In a press release, John Deere stated that the agreement reinforces its continued innovation toward more flexible repair options. The company emphasized increased access and transparency for customers, adding that the settlement formalizes its ongoing commitment to expanding access to diagnostic and repair tools.

Willie Cade, a board member of Repair.org, commented on the development. "After years of fighting for the right to repair, this order gives farmers real hope," Cade said. "But promises on paper must become tools in farmers' hands, and we will be watching implementation every step of the way."

Nathan Proctor, Right to Repair campaign director at US PIRG, also issued a statement. "We should be able to fix our own stuff," Proctor said. "This settlement from the FTC gives farmers more and better options to repair their equipment," he added. "It is a win for farmers and all of us who want a more fixable world."