The settlement fund covers eligible plaintiffs who paid Deere’s authorized dealers for repairs to large agricultural equipment during a period that began in January 2018, according to a document filed on Monday, April 6, in federal court in Chicago.
In the settlement, Deere also agreed to make available to farmers for 10 years “the digital tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair” of large agricultural equipment, including tractors, combines, and sugarcane harvesters, the filing showed.
Deere also faces a separate lawsuit brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. A U.S. judge ruled in 2025 that Deere must face that lawsuit, which accused the company of forcing farmers to use its authorized dealer network and driving up their costs for parts and repairs.
“Make available” just like you can pay a car dealer $1500 a month for their special scan software.
There was some statement about how access must be fair and reasonable, but that is wildly vague. $1500 a month to a factory farm is more than fair and reasonable. Less so for a small independent farm.
I really dislike that this wasn’t brought to proper closure. It would have been precedent setting. However, I also understand that this at least brings relief to those who are hit by this BS. However, until some manufacturer is forced to give up the keys to these systems, legal defenses will continue to strengthen for the big companies during the snooze period. In 10 years when this expires, they will be more than prepared to fight this down to nothing. That precedent will be extremely difficult to overturn should it become real.
How do we let every company squeeze us as they do? Because we trust these smarmy crooked politicians. Playing us like fools.
