FTC Forces John Deere to Unlock Repair Tools in Landmark Right-to-Fix Settlement

The FTC and five state attorneys general secured a settlement requiring John Deere to provide diagnostic and repair tools to farmers and independent shops, ending years of repair restrictions that critics called an illegal monopoly on farm equipment maintenance.

The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from five states — Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin — reached a settlement Wednesday with Deere & Co. that forces the agricultural giant to finally give farmers and independent mechanics full access to the diagnostic and repair software needed to fix their own equipment.

For years, John Deere restricted access to its proprietary service tools, requiring customers to use its network of authorized dealers for all but the most basic repairs. Farmers reported waiting weeks during harvest season for a dealer technician to arrive, while independent shops were locked out of the software entirely. The FTC argued this constituted an illegal repair monopoly.

Under the consent order, filed in Illinois federal court, Deere must now provide the same repair tools to owners and independent shops that it gives its authorized dealers. The company is also barred from retaliating against customers or repair shops who choose to fix equipment themselves or use third-party parts. Deere will pay $1 million collectively to the five states for antitrust enforcement costs and faces a decade of compliance monitoring.

This is the second major right-to-repair win against Deere this year. In April, the company settled a class-action lawsuit brought by farmers for $99 million. That case provided compensation; the FTC settlement aims to change the underlying repair ecosystem permanently.

Right-to-repair advocates celebrated the decision as a watershed moment. The movement has gained momentum across multiple industries — from smartphones to medical devices to farm equipment — as consumers push back against manufacturer lock-in. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes captured the sentiment: "For too long, Arizona farmers and independent mechanics have been at the mercy of Deere's monopoly over repair tools, forced to wait — and pay — for authorized dealers just to fix broken tractors."

Deere framed the settlement as consistent with its existing direction. Denver Caldwell, the company's vice president of aftermarket and customer support, called it "good news for our customers and for the future of how Deere equipment is supported."

The settlement awaits court approval. Once finalized, it will apply to all John Deere agricultural equipment sold in the United States.

Sources: AP News

Sources: FTC.gov, WIRED