John Deere has agreed on Apr. 15 to a proposed $99 million settlement in a right-to-repair class action suit, but a separate Federal Trade Commission case against the company remains unresolved.
The issue is significant for farmers and others who rely on being able to repair their own equipment. The outcome could affect how repair restrictions are handled nationwide.
The proposed settlement was filed with the U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois Western Division and still needs approval from both the plaintiff class members and the court. If approved, it would reimburse farmers involved in the suit for certain repairs made by Deere dealers since January 2018. The agreement also requires John Deere to provide digital tools that will allow farmers and independent shops to manage software and electronics issues themselves.
Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, said, “It is a big win for those plaintiffs, but we will have to see what the impact is for the rest of the farmers in the country with green equipment.” He added that another important case filed by the Federal Trade Commission along with Minnesota and Illinois against John Deere is still pending before the same court. “The FTC is the bigger case, but we don’t yet know when that case will be heard,” Rumley said.
Will Scobey, staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center, described right to repair as “a nationwide movement seeking to lift repair restrictions on various products from consumer electronics to large-scale agricultural equipment.” He explained its importance: “For farmers, this movement marks an attempt to restore the ability to repair their equipment without being subjected to manufacturer restrictions.”
Scobey noted concerns about proprietary software: “Deere prohibits customer modification of ‘embedded software’ due to ‘risks related to safe operation of equipment, emissions compliance, engine performance, data security, warranty validation and resale value.’” In its lawsuit against John Deere, Scobey said that because only dealers can access full-function diagnostic tools from Deere,“this exclusivity ‘has allowed Deere to gain monopoly power over the repair market for its equipment.’”
In recent years some states have taken legislative steps; Colorado passed an agricultural right-to-repair law in 2023 according to information included in statements from legal experts. Efforts are ongoing elsewhere: Arkansas has introduced two bills on this topic—Senate Bill 461 (2021) and House Bill 1852 (2025)—but neither has become law yet.
The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service receives funding through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state appropriations according to its official website. The service supports social cohesion by offering programs tailored for rural as well as urban communities according to its official website. It uses county offices along with research centers across Arkansas for program delivery according to its official website, operates throughout all 75 counties with specialists based at five university campuses according to its official website, forms part of University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture according to its official website, and aims at enhancing agriculture as well as families using research-backed practices according to its official website.
Observers say outcomes from these cases could set precedents affecting not just agriculture but other industries where consumers face similar restrictions.
