Deere & Company will pay $99 million to settle a lawsuit over repair service monopolization.

The 2022 lawsuit accused Deere of withholding critical repair software and collaborating with authorized dealers to limit farmers’ access to independent or self-service repairs. This settlement signals a structural challenge to Deere’s control over repair markets for agricultural equipment.

The $99 million fund compensates farmers and other class members who paid for repairs from January 10, 2018, through the date of preliminary approval. Alongside financial restitution, the agreement includes injunctive relief aimed at expanding access to repair tools and diagnostic resources, addressing concerns about Deere’s proprietary software restricting equipment maintenance. Plaintiffs described Deere’s practices as creating an “unlawfully restrained” market that resulted in “supracompetitive” repair prices. Deere denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle to focus on customer service. The settlement still awaits final court approval.

While Montana is not specifically mentioned, the state’s agricultural economy could be influenced by changes in repair market dynamics. If access to repair software and diagnostic tools improves, Montana farmers might gain more autonomy in maintaining their equipment, potentially reducing downtime and repair costs. This development aligns with Montana’s tradition of self-reliance and could affect local authorized dealer networks and independent service providers.

John Deere’s $99 Million Settlement Reveals a Much Bigger Problem

By Leila Sheridan, Inc