Deere settles U.S. right-to-repair lawsuit, agrees to $99M fund for farmers

Descrease article font size

Increase article font size

U.S. agriculture equipment maker Deere (DE.N), opens new tab on ​Monday agreed to pay $99 million into a settlement fund for ‌farms and farmers that are part of a class action over costs and access to repairs.

The case is part of broader scrutiny in the U.S. over so-called ​right-to-repair practices, with regulators and plaintiffs arguing that some ​manufacturers limit competition by controlling access to repair tools and ⁠software.

The settlement fund covers eligible plaintiffs who paid Deere’s authorized ​dealers for repairs to large agricultural equipment from January 2018, according to a ​document filed on Monday in the federal court in Chicago, Illinois.

1:54
John Deere agrees to allow farmers to fix their own tractors

In the settlement, Deere also agreed to make available to farmers for 10 years “the digital tools ​required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair” of large agricultural equipment, ​including tractors, combines, and sugarcane harvesters, the filing showed.

Story continues below advertisement

The proposed accord requires a judge’s approval.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

“This ‌settlement ⁠addresses the issues raised in the 2022 complaint and brings this case to an end with no finding of wrongdoing,” Deere said in a separate statement.

Deere also faces a separate lawsuit brought by the U.S. Federal ​Trade Commission. A ​U.S. judge ruled ⁠in 2025 that Deere must face that lawsuit, which accused the company of forcing farmers to ​use its authorized dealer network and driving up their ​costs for ⁠parts and repairs.

Deere is blocking farmers from acquiring the “tools and information necessary to repair their equipment in a timely and cost-effective manner,” the ⁠FTC ​had said in a court filing in ​April. Deere has denied the wrongdoing.

7:15
Right to Repair: Inside the movement fighting for all consumers