John Deere has settled a court case involving the company and an antitrust complaint stemming from repair policies, closing the case with no findings of wrongdoing and an agreement to pay $99 million through a fund. However, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) faces similar allegations in separate cases.
In 2022, “Re: Deere & Co. Repair Services Antitrust Litigation” consolidated 18 lawsuits and class actions against John Deere in the Northern District of Illinois. The case alleged that John Deere violated Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by monopolizing the repair service market and working with dealers to withhold information that farmers or shops could use to repair their equipment, according to The National Agricultural Law Center.
John Deere also faces litigation from a separate complaint filed in 2025 by the Biden administration’s Federal Trade Commission, Illinois, and Minnesota. The complaint alleged that John Deere’s repair policies violated state and federal antitrust laws, outlined in Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act and Section 2 of the Sherman Act, The National Agricultural Law Center shared.
Over the years, all 50 states have proposed right-to-repair laws, with laws passed in California, Colorado, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon. Right-to-repair laws are designed to empower buyers to repair their technology and equipment without a manufacturer or authorized dealer.
John Deere’s engine control unit was central to these complaints, since authorized dealers were the only ones able to repair them.
“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,” said Denver Caldwell, VP of aftermarket and customer support at Deere, in a press release.
John Deere has expanded customer access to various manuals and repair information through its Operations Center Pro Service. In July 2025, John Deere expanded the Pro Service with an AI chatbot that can help with diagnosing and repairing equipment, as AgTechNavigator reported.
“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,” Caldwell added.
John Deere applauds ag policy changes on DEF sensors
The settlement follows John Deere’s appearance at the Great American Agriculture Celebration, alongside ag stakeholders, like AGCO, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and others.
At the White House event, President Trump outlined right-to-repair policy changes, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolling back requirements for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) sensors in equipment, as AgTechNavigator reported.
“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,” said Kyle Gilley, VP for global government affairs at John Deere, in a press release on the White House event.
