John Deere Agrees To 10-Year Right-To-Repair Deal In FTC Antitrust Lawsuit

John Deere has agreed to a 10-year FTC-supervised right-to-repair settlement requiring it to provide farmers and independent repair shops with the same repair resources available to authorized dealers. The deal resolves antitrust claims from the FTC and five states alleging Deere monopolized equipment repair services, contributing to higher costs and delays for farmers.

Settlement Details

Wired reports: The full statement (PDF) lays out obligations for John Deere's repair services, requiring the company to give farmers and third-party repair shops access to the same equipment and repair resources it provides to official John Deere dealers. This includes software capabilities, such as reading and resetting codes and pairing with other software, which customers have long had limited access to, creating delays when diagnosing equipment problems. Delayed fixes can mean delayed harvests, which many farmers saw as a fundamental threat to their livelihoods.

Under the agreement, John Deere will be required to provide this level of access, equipment, and services for the next 10 years, monitored by the FTC.

John Deere's Response

John Deere has maintained that it already has robust repair resources for its customers, including service manuals and diagnostic equipment. In John Deere's press release, the company says the settlement is in line with what it has been doing all along, saying that "the agreement reinforces Deere's continued innovation toward more flexible repair options, emphasizing increased access and transparency for customers. It formalizes Deere's ongoing commitment to expanding access to diagnostic and repair tools."

Community Reactions

• We have been doing this all along... (Score:2)
• Re: (Score:2) ...and we will do this for another 10 years. So, are they saying that after 10 more years, they're not going to do it anymore? I think the 10 years only applies to FTC supervision, not the expectation of the right to repair.
• pricing? (Score:2) Sure they can provide the diags, but you are going to pay John Deere prices for it. You might be granted access but can you afford to use it?
• Covered By The Court Order (Score:2) "Fair and Reasonable Terms" shall be assessed based on the following factors:
  1. The net cost (accounting for any discounts, rebates, or other incentive programs) to a Deere Dealer, for similar items obtained from Defendant
  2. The cost to Defendant of preparing, maintaining, and distributing the item
  3. The price charged by other manufacturers of agricultural equipment for similar items
  4. The ability of Owners and IRPs to afford the item
  5. The means by which the item is distributed
  6. The extent to which the item is used, which includes the number of users, and frequency, duration, and volume of use
  7. Inflation
• Just a calculated pause! (Score:3)
• Re: (Score:2) Buddy, you better take a good look at who is in office.
• It is something (Score:2) It is something, and it is something NOW -which is important. But it gives them free reign to do it again in 10 years.
• You too can be a John Deere Dealer service dept (Score:1)
• John Deere has always been shady (Score:2) My grandfather was a farmer right up until he died in 2008 at the age of 90. He swore by Massey Ferguson implements and tractors. Even back in the day he always said John Deere was a company to avoid. Fucking over the people that feed us shows just how fucked up the Deere C-Suite is. Fuck you John Deere ... Fuck You.