Deere right-to-repair settlement opens claims process for farmers
Rule ChangesFTC antitrust order forces John Deere to share repair software for a decade
2 days ago: ENR reports on settlement, Volvo CE, and ECHO newsNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated 2 hours agoJohn Deere makes the only software that can fully repair its own tractors and combines. For years it sold that capability only to authorized dealers, letting it monopolize the repair market, regulators alleged.
A Federal Trade Commission antitrust case and a $99 million class settlement now require Deere to share those tools for a decade. The claims website opened August 28, farmer notices went out the same day, and a Rockford, Illinois judge weighs final approval January 19.
Why it matters
If approved, the deal gives American farmers and independent shops dealer-level access to Deere's repair software for a decade.
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People Involved
Organizations Involved
Agricultural and construction machinery maker headquartered in Moline, Illinois.
The federal agency that enforces antitrust and consumer protection law.
Timeline
January 2025 January 2027
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Fairness hearing in Rockford
Upcoming LegalA U.S. District Court judge weighs whether the $99 million settlement is fair to the class before granting final approval.
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Farmer claims and objections deadline
Upcoming LegalFarmers must file claims or object to the class settlement by December 4.
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ENR reports on settlement, Volvo CE, and ECHO news
Latest NewsEngineering News-Record covers the Deere claims phase alongside the Volvo CE production shift and ECHO product launch.
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Deere settlement claims website opens
LegalThe claims portal goes live, with first notices sent to farm customers by mail and email.
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Volvo CE delivers first U.S.-built excavators and loaders
IndustryVolvo Construction Equipment ships its first American-made excavators and large wheel loaders from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.
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FTC and states secure consent order on repair access
LegalThe stipulated order requires Deere to give farmers and independent shops dealer-level repair resources for 10 years.
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Deere agrees to $99 million class settlement
LegalDeere settles the farmer class action with a $99 million fund and a 10-year pledge to provide digital repair tools.
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ECHO adds light towers and generator to industrial line
ProductOutdoor equipment maker ECHO expands its industrial portfolio with three LED light towers and a 400 kVA generator for rental fleets.
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FTC and five states sue Deere over repair monopoly
LegalThe FTC, joined by Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, and Wyoming, files suit alleging Deere monopolizes repairs by withholding software.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Massachusetts auto right-to-repair (2012, 2020)
Massachusetts voters approved a 2012 law forcing automakers to share diagnostic codes with independent repair shops. In 2020 they passed a follow-up extending access to wireless telematics data, over automaker objections.
Automakers adopted a national memorandum of understanding honoring the 2014 model-year standard.
The state ballot model became the template for repair-access campaigns in other states and sectors.
Massachusetts proved states could force manufacturers to open repair data, the same lever the FTC used against Deere.
Executive Order 14036 on Promoting Competition (2021)
President Biden signed an executive order that explicitly urged the FTC to curb anticompetitive repair restrictions in farming and other sectors. The agency responded with a policy statement targeting repair monopolies.
The FTC made right-to-repair a priority and voted to enforce against unlawful repair restrictions.
The order laid the regulatory groundwork for the Deere enforcement action filed in 2025.
It links the Deere case directly to a decade of federal competition policy.
New York Digital Fair Repair Act (2022)
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the first U.S. electronics right-to-repair law, requiring manufacturers to sell parts, tools, and documentation to consumers and independent shops.
The law applied to devices sold after July 2023, after the state weakened parts-pairing provisions.
It set a state-level precedent for electronics repair access even as federal action stalled.
The law showed repair-access mandates work state by state; the Deere settlement enforces the same principle at the federal level.
