Deere & Company

John Deere is a leading manufacturer of agricultural and heavy machinery. Founded in 1837, the company is primarily known for its heavy-duty agricultural equipment, such as tractors and combines. Recently, its business practices, particularly concerning equipment repair, have faced criticism. These practices have raised concerns among farmers, independent repair technicians, and consumer-advocacy groups.[[1]]( Access to essential repair software and diagnostic tools is reportedly limited by John Deere.[[3]]( Such restrictive policies can hinder farmers from performing repairs independently or utilizing independent repair shops, thereby necessitating reliance on authorized dealerships.[[1]]( Farmers have reported that without access to John Deere's proprietary tools, they're unable to address certain mechanical issues, even minor ones.[[4]]( There are measures in place that prevent independent repair technicians from completing repair,[[3]]( such as: Through eliminating competition in the repair market, John Deere has allegedly unlawfully inflated repair cost.[[6]]( To take back some control, mechanics and technicians are reportedly buying pirated John Deere firmware online to repair consumer tractors, at the risk of being scammed or clicking sketchy links.[[7]]( John Deere has actively lobbied against right-to-repair legislation in multiple states, and on the federal level.[[8]]( [[9]]( Despite signing a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2023, the company has been accused of undermining the spirit of the agreement.[[10]]( [[11]]( On January 15, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against John Deere, alleging anti-competitive practices in the repair market.[[4]]( [[2]]( The lawsuit claims that: John Deere unlawfully inflated repair costs by monopolizing the repair-service market. The company's restrictive policies violated consumer-protection laws and limited farmers' ability to maintain their equipment. section excerpt John Deere security flaws exposed sensitive customer information .[edit ] section excerpt John Deere fails to uphold right to repair agreement .[edit ]