John Deere Settles Repair Suit for $99 Million

Deere & Company, the agricultural equipment manufacturer known as John Deere, has agreed to pay $99 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of restricting farmers' access to repair tools and services for its machinery. The proposed agreement, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, covers farmers and farms that paid authorized dealers for repairs on large equipment such as tractors, combines and sugarcane harvesters from January 2018 onward. It still requires final approval from a federal judge.

The 2022 lawsuit alleged that Deere withheld essential repair software, manuals and diagnostic tools, effectively forcing customers to rely on its authorized dealer network. Plaintiffs claimed this created an anticompetitive monopoly, leading to higher repair costs, longer wait times and unnecessary downtime for farmers. According to court documents, the restrictions prevented independent repairs and drove up prices beyond competitive levels. Deere has denied any wrongdoing throughout the case, stating the settlement resolves the claims without admitting liability.

Under the terms, the $99 million fund will compensate eligible class...