Deere has agreed to place $99 million into a settlement fund for farms and farmers who are part of a class action contesting repair costs and access, according to documents filed in federal court in Chicago, Illinois. The fund is intended for eligible plaintiffs who paid Deere's authorized dealers for repairs to large agricultural equipment beginning in January 2018.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Deere will also provide farmers with the digital tools necessary for maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of large agricultural machinery for a 10-year period. The filing specifically lists equipment categories that will be covered, including tractors, combines, and sugarcane harvesters.
The agreement is conditional on judicial approval. In a company statement included with the filing, Deere said the settlement addresses the concerns raised in the 2022 complaint and ends the matter without any judicial finding that the company engaged in wrongdoing.
Separately, Deere remains a defendant in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. A U.S. judge ruled in 2025 that Deere must face the FTC's suit, which alleges that the company compelled farmers to rely on its authorized dealer network and thereby increased costs for parts and repairs. In its April court filing, the FTC asserted that Deere was preventing farmers from obtaining the tools and information required to repair their equipment in a timely and cost-effective way. Deere has denied those allegations.
The settlement and the parallel regulatory action underscore ongoing tensions around repair access in the agricultural equipment market. The court-approved fund would compensate eligible buyers who used authorized Deere dealers for repairs over the specified period, while the 10-year commitment to provide digital tools aims to broaden access to the diagnostic and maintenance resources used for major implements.
The proposed accord must still be approved by a judge before it becomes final, and Deere's denial of wrongdoing remains on the record. The separate FTC case also continues to proceed through the courts following the 2025 ruling that it may move forward.
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