In a major development, John Deere has settled a court case that revolved around an antitrust complaint related to its repair policies. The resolution concludes with no findings of wrongdoing from the company, accompanied by an agreement to allocate $99 million through a designated fund. Nevertheless, John Deere is not entirely off the hook, as it is facing similar allegations in separate legal matters.

The consolidated lawsuit, labeled as “Re: Deere & Co. Repair Services Antitrust Litigation,” involved 18 lawsuits and class actions against John Deere in the Northern District of Illinois. The accusations claimed that John Deere breached Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by monopolizing the repair service market and collaborating with dealers to withhold critical repair information from farmers and shops, as reported by The National Agricultural Law Center.

Adding to its legal challenges, John Deere is also facing a separate complaint initiated in 2025 by the Biden administration’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with the states of Illinois and Minnesota. This complaint alleges violations of both state and federal antitrust laws, specifically citing Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act and Section 2 of the Sherman Act, as noted in a report by The National Agricultural Law Center.

In recent years, all 50 states have proposed right-to-repair laws, with several states, including California, Colorado, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon, passing legislation. These laws are aimed at empowering consumers to repair their technology and equipment independently, without requiring manufacturer or dealer intervention.

A key focus of the complaints involved John Deere’s engine control unit, which could only be serviced by authorized dealers. In a statement, Denver Caldwell, VP of aftermarket and customer support at John Deere, emphasized the company’s commitment to customer service: “As we continue to innovate industry-leading equipment and technology solutions supported by our world-class dealer network, we are equally committed to providing customers and other service providers with access to repair resources. We’re pleased that this resolution allows us to move forward and remain focused on what matters most – serving our customers.”

To enhance customer access to repair information, John Deere has expanded its Operations Center Pro Service. This expansion included the introduction of an AI chatbot designed to assist with diagnosing and repairing equipment, as reported by AgTechNavigator.

Caldwell added, “John Deere Operations Center Pro Service is designed to enhance customers’ ability to care for their equipment how and when they want, and this settlement reaffirms Deere’s commitment to customer choice of how they want their equipment supported and access to the tools that enable it.”

John Deere’s Support of Agricultural Policy Changes on DEF Sensors

The recent settlement follows John Deere’s participation in the Great American Agriculture Celebration, attended by various agricultural stakeholders, including AGCO and the American Farm Bureau Federation.

At the White House event, President Trump outlined significant policy changes related to the right-to-repair, including revisions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) sensors in equipment. As reported by AgTechNavigator, Kyle Gilley, VP for global government affairs at John Deere, expressed support, stating, “John Deere applauds the EPA’s leadership to provide as much flexibility through agency guidance as possible to limit the frequency of false DEF-quality inducements. … These announcements are a win for farmers and their ability to keep modern equipment operating in the field.”