A federal court has granted preliminary approval to a proposed $99 million antitrust settlement involving John Deere and farmer right-to-repair lawsuits, marking a major development in a years-long legal battle over access to equipment repairs.
Reports indicate the ruling clears the way for farmers to review or challenge the agreement before a final approval hearing later this year. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois approved the preliminary settlement Monday in a consolidated case stemming from lawsuits filed by farmers in 2022.
Plaintiffs alleged Deere monopolized the repair market by limiting access to proprietary diagnostic software, repair manuals, and electronic service tools needed to fix company equipment. Farmers argued those restrictions forced producers to rely on authorized dealerships for repairs, often increasing costs and causing costly delays during planting and harvest seasons.
The proposed agreement was described by the court as appearing “fair, reasonable, and adequate” pending a final fairness hearing scheduled for Oct. 29, 2026.
Under the terms of the settlement, Deere would create a $99 million fund for eligible farmers who paid authorized Deere dealers for repairs on certain equipment dating back to January 2018. Farmers who qualify could receive compensation based on repair expenses incurred during that time period.
In addition to the monetary settlement, Deere agreed to provide customers and independent repair providers with expanded access to digital diagnostic and repair tools for large agricultural equipment for the next ten years. Supporters of right-to-repair legislation say that provision could significantly change how farmers maintain and repair increasingly technology-driven machinery.
The case has drawn national attention as part of a broader debate over right-to-repair laws affecting agriculture, consumer electronics, and the automotive industry. Farm groups and rural advocates have argued modern equipment manufacturers have too much control over software-enabled machinery, limiting producers’ ability to quickly make repairs in the field during critical times of the year.
Deere has previously said it disagrees with claims that it violated antitrust laws, but the company stated the settlement would help avoid prolonged litigation while continuing efforts to improve customer access to repair resources.
The settlement still requires final court approval later this year before payments or additional repair access provisions take effect.
