The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and attorneys general in five states announced a settlement July 8 in an antitrust lawsuit against Deere & Company over restrictions on farm equipment repair. According to the FTC, the lawsuit alleged that Deere engaged in “unlawful practices to limit the ability of farmers and independent repair providers to perform repairs on Deere farm equipment.”
Currently, Deere makes the only software capable of repairing certain electronic issues on Deere machines. That software has previously been available only to authorized dealers, which forces farmers to use those dealerships for many repairs.
Because of this restricted access to repair software, the FTC alleged Deere “unlawfully acquired and maintained monopoly power in markets for repair services” and that Deere’s practices “led to service delays and higher costs for farmers.”
“The Right to Repair has been a years-long fight for farmers’ to gain the ability to repair their own farm equipment,” said American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) Cooperative President Scott Blubaugh. “Farming is a time-sensitive, weather-dependent business. The last thing our farmers need is to be dependent on a small handful of dealerships with too few technicians and lengthy wait times.”
The farmers’ Right to Repair has been a priority reform for American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) Cooperative for several years. AFR has often been the only farm organization in Oklahoma advocating for right-to-repair legislation.
“AFR has lobbied tirelessly for our farmers’ right to repair their own equipment,” said AFR Cooperative President Scott Blubaugh. “We’re thrilled the FTC listened to farmer concerns and helped bring necessary reforms to the marketplace. This settlement is a great step in our continued fight for a permanent, nationwide right-to-repair law. From the Oklahoma State Capitol, all the way to Washington, D.C., we have and will continue to be focused on helping Oklahoma’s farmers gain the repair access they need to farm with success.”
The settlement requires Deere, for the next 10 years, to provide farmers and independent repair providers with the same repair resources currently available only to Deere’s authorized dealers. Deere is also barred from discriminating or retaliating against customers who choose to repair their own equipment.
About American Farmers & Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union: AFR is a membership services organization established in 1905 as Oklahoma Farmers Union. AFR provides educational, legislative and cooperative programs across the state and serves as a watchdog for Oklahoma’s family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. The organization is actively supportive of the state’s agricultural industry and rural population with membership consisting of farmers actively involved in production agriculture and non-farmers adding their voices in support of AFR principles.
