(The Center Square) – Deere and Co. agreed to provide farmers and independent repair shops access to the same equipment repair resources and software capabilities as authorized retailers for the next 10 years in a settlement agreement to a lawsuit filed by Wisconsin and four other states.
The lawsuit claimed the company unfairly prevented farmers and independent repair shops the ability to repair John Deere tractors and farm equipment.
Wisconsin was joined by Illinois, Arizona, Minnesota and the Federal Trade Commission in the lawsuit and the FTC will oversee the settlement agreement.
“Farmers shouldn’t have to go to a dealership to have repairs made to their farm equipment,” Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said. “This settlement will mean that farmers have more options in many circumstances in which repairs are needed to their John Deere equipment.”
The company is currently the only place that has the software repair tools to perform electronic repairs on the equipment, the lawsuit claimed, which forced farmers to rely on only authorized dealers to make repairs and giving the company and its dealers monopoly power.
The settlement agreement means that Deere will provide the same resources to farmers and independent dealers under the same terms it provides the same to Deere authorized dealers.
The same applies to any new resources created over the next 10 years.
The settlement came in U.S. District Court in Illinois.
Wisconsin lawmakers had proposed right to repair legislation similar to a Colorado law that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
“I have long supported farmers’ right to repair their own equipment, including authoring legislation to end these predatory practices against Wisconsin’s family farmers,” Wisconsin state Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, said in a statement. “This settlement puts our nation’s farmers first, allowing them to save money by repairing their own equipment or choosing the mechanic they trust.”
John Deere said that it agreed with the settlement and believes that it will help customers.
“We’ve said from the beginning that our focus is on helping customers keep their machines running when and how they need them,” Denver Caldwell, John Deere vice president of aftermarket and customer support, said in a statement. “This agreement bolsters that commitment, and we’re confident it will make a real difference for the people who depend on our equipment every day. We share the Administration’s and the states’ desire to put farmers first while preserving Deere’s ability to support American agricultural productivity, equipment safety and innovation.”
