Agricultural machinery manufacturer Deere & Company to pay over 1.5 billion yen in settlement in 'right to repair' lawsuit.
Deere & Company, the agricultural machinery giant known for its 'John Deere' brand, has agreed to pay $99 million (approximately 1.56 billion yen) in a settlement in a class-action lawsuit against the company for not allowing farmers to perform their own repairs.
John Deere to Pay $99 Million in Monumental Right-to-Repair Settlement
John Deere settles right-to-repair lawsuit for $99 million
https://www.farmprogress.com/farming-equipment/john-deere-settles-right-to-repair-lawsuit-for-99-million
Some large companies, such as Deere & Company, do not allow consumers to repair their products without authorization, restricting the distribution of parts and software modifications. This forces users to rely on official repair services, which can be more expensive than repairing the product themselves.
These issues are not limited to agricultural machinery; they are causing a stir in various fields, including PCs and automobiles, and there are growing calls for the establishment of users' 'right to repair.'
Farmers are being forced to 'hack' their own tractors in order to repair them - GIGAZINE
In 2022, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Deere & Company in Illinois, USA, where the company is headquartered. The plaintiffs, a group of farmers, alleged that Deere & Company deliberately made essential software and repair tools unavailable to farmers and independent repairers, monopolizing the repair service market and driving up prices.
In April 2026, the two parties reached a settlement in the lawsuit, agreeing that Deere & Company would pay $99 million to a fund for farmers and individuals who participated in the class-action lawsuit. This fund will be available to those who have paid for repairs of large equipment from authorized Deere & Company dealers since January 2018.
In addition to the settlement payment, the agreement also includes a 10-year provision by Deere & Company of tools that farmers and independent repair shops can use to repair their vehicles without relying on authorized dealers. Deere & Company had previously reached an agreement with the American Farmers' Union in 2023 to recognize the 'right to repair.'
Agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere signs agreement recognizing the 'right to repair,' potentially improving the situation where customers have to wait several weeks for repairs at authorized dealers - GIGAZINE
Dear & Company commented that they 'do not condone any wrongdoing.'
According to documents submitted in court, the $99 million figure represents 26% to 53% of the claimed amount, significantly higher than the 5% to 15% typically paid in similar cases.
The Public Interest Research Group, a consumer advocacy group, stated, 'The most important thing is that farmers can repair their own farm equipment. We look forward to seeing what efforts Deere & Company will make to remove barriers to repairs. We also promise to continue working to ensure that all farm equipment manufacturers treat farmers fairly.'
After this matter was reported, rumors circulated that 'Dear & Company is moving its manufacturing facilities out of Illinois,' which led Deer & Company to issue a statement saying that 'this information is from AI-generated content and is not true.'
Setting the Record Straight: John Deere Is Not Leaving Illinois
https://www.deere.com/en/stories/featured/illinois-operations/
Furthermore, Deere & Company is also in litigation with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, where it is being criticized for similarly restricting the 'right to repair' and inflating repair costs.
The FTC has sued an agricultural machinery manufacturer for unfairly raising repair costs by limiting the use of repair software tools to authorized dealers - GIGAZINE
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