Tractor manufacturer John Deere announced Monday that it had reached a settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit filed against the company for restricting customers’ ability to repair their equipment.
Deere will pay $99 million to a fund to reimburse farmers for a portion of the harm caused by its repair restrictions.
This is a relatively minor financial penalty, Nathan Proctor, senior director of U.S. PIRG’s Right to Repair campaign, said in a statement.
The U.S. PIRG Education Fund estimates that repair restrictions from all manufacturers combined cost farmers $4.2 billion per year.
“The most important thing is for farmers to be able to fix their stuff,” Proctor said. “We look forward to seeing how Deere works to remove the remaining barriers to repair – and we promise to continue to advocate for farmers to be treated fairly by every equipment maker.”
The settlement agreement also says that Deere will make tools available to enable farmers and independent repair shops to diagnose and repair problems without having to use the services of an authorized dealer.
This relief would be for 10 years and begin before the end of 2026.
The Right to Repair lawsuit was filed in January 2022.
Deere said in a statement that settlement addresses the issues raised in the 2022 lawsuit and brings it to an end with no finding of wrongdoing.
Deere faces additional legal action over its repair restrictions: The Federal Trade Commission’s 2025 lawsuit against Deere remains ongoing.
