John Deere Settles Right-to-Repair Lawsuit, Payouts to Farmers Total $99 Million

John Deere has reached a $99 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit that claimed the company restricted farmers and mechanics from accessing essential repair materials for their equipment. As part of the settlement, John Deere will provide repair resources for a decade, available through a license or subscription model.

Additionally, by the end of 2026, the company will allow equipment owners and repair shops to reprogram or run diagnostics on their machines while offline. This change aims to help owners avoid the need to visit authorized Deere Dealers for repairs.

The lawsuit was filed in 2022, and the settlement funds will be distributed to affected individuals who paid for repairs through John Deere dealers from January 2018 until the preliminary approval date. While John Deere denies any wrongdoing, it is also facing a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission, which alleges that the company has raised repair costs by requiring farmers to use its network of authorized dealers for equipment repairs.