FTC Wins Deere Settlement: Farmers Gain Access to Repair Software Long Held by Dealers

The Federal Trade Commission and five states settled their lawsuit against John Deere, requiring the company to open diagnostic and repair software to farmers and independent shops. Deere had restricted these tools to authorized dealers, forcing equipment owners to pay higher service costs. The 10-year agreement includes oversight mechanisms that can extend if Deere breaches. The settlement makes repair-access enforcement concrete in agricultural equipment, where downtime carries measurable cost.