Deere settles US right-to-repair lawsuit with $99 million fund, repair commitments [View all]

Source: Reuters

Deere settles US right-to-repair lawsuit with $99 million fund, repair commitments

By Reuters
April 6, 2026 10:01 PM EDT * Updated 4 hours ago

April 6 (Reuters) - U.S. agriculture equipment maker Deere on ​Monday agreed to pay $99 million into a settlement fund for ‌farms and farmers that are part of a class action over costs and access to repairs. ... The case is part of broader scrutiny in the U.S. over so-called ​right-to-repair practices, with regulators and plaintiffs arguing that some ​manufacturers limit competition by controlling access to repair tools and ⁠software.

The settlement fund covers eligible plaintiffs who paid Deere’s authorized ​dealers for repairs to large agricultural equipment from January 2018, according to a ​document filed on Monday in the federal court in Chicago, Illinois. ... In the settlement, Deere also agreed to make available to farmers for 10 years "the digital tools ​required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair" of large agricultural equipment, ​including tractors, combines, and sugarcane harvesters, the filing showed.

The proposed accord requires a judge's approval. ... "This ‌settlement ⁠addresses the issues raised in the 2022 complaint and brings this case to an end with no finding of wrongdoing," Deere said in a separate statement.

Deere also faces a separate lawsuit brought by the U.S. Federal ​Trade Commission. (1) A ​U.S. judge ruled ⁠in 2025 that Deere must face that lawsuit, which accused the company of forcing farmers to ​use its authorized dealer network and driving up their ​costs for ⁠parts and repairs. ... Deere is blocking farmers from acquiring the "tools and information necessary to repair their equipment in a timely and cost-effective manner," the ⁠FTC ​had said in a court filing in ​April. Deere has denied the wrongdoing.

Reporting by Carlos Méndez, Mrinmay Dey in Mexico City ​and Mike Scarcella in Washington; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Lincoln Feast.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

(1) https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/deere-must-face-ftcs-antitrust-lawsuit-over-repair-costs-us-judge-rules-2025-06-10/

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/deere-settles-us-right-to-repair-lawsuit-with-99-million-fund-repair-commitments-2026-04-07/