In re: Deere & Company Repair Services Antitrust Litigation – Understanding the Preliminary Settlement Approval and Your Rights

John Deere Equipment in Field by Taina Sohlman from Adobe Stock

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Introduction

In In re Deere & Company Repair Services Antitrust Litigation, plaintiffs—farmers and agricultural businesses, challenged John Deere’s control over the right to repair their equipment and anticompetitive market practices resulting from such withholding. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that all individual counts, three under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, four under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, and one count for declaratory and injunctive relief under both Section 1 and Section 2, pled plausible claims for relief. The key question in this case is whether Deere has foreclosed competition for repair services for Large Ag Equipment. Settlement negotiations were critical to securing recovery for farmers, with support from the then Biden Administration, including the filing of a statement of interest. The resulting March 2026 settlement provides both monetary relief and structural reforms–over a ten-year period–marking a significant development in the ongoing “right-to-repair” debate within modern agriculture.  On May 18 2026, the federal district court provided preliminary approval and set deadlines.

Allegations Under Federal Antitrust Law

Plaintiffs alleged that Deere violated Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act by restricting access to diagnostic software and repair tools necessary to service Deere equipment. According to the complaint, Deere’s conduct forced farmers to rely only on authorized dealers. This practice eliminates competition from independent repair providers and inflates repair costs. The court denied Deere’s motion to dismiss for lack of standing, holding that the plaintiffs plausibly alleged monopolization, attempted monopolization, and concerted anticompetitive conduct. This ruling allowed the case to proceed into extensive discovery and positioned plaintiffs for class certification and trial. The discussions surrounding the settlement were marked by a series of in-depth, arm’s-length negotiations, showcasing a commitment to reaching a fair agreement by March 6, 2026.

The Settlement Agreement

The proposed settlement provides two principal forms of relief.

1. robust injunctive relief ensuring that farmers and independent repair providers (“IRPs”) can diagnose and fix Deere-brand Large Ag Equipment; and

2. $99 million (plus interest) to Settlement Class members who paid Deere’s authorized dealers for repairs to their Large Ag Equipment from January 10, 2018 to May 18, 2026.

Deere agreed to establish a $99 million settlement fund (plus interest) to compensate class members who purchased repair services from Deere or its authorized dealers between January 10, 2018, and May 18, 2026. Distribution will occur on a pro rata basis, tied to repair-related labor expenditures. Pro rata, meaning a proportional allocation of a total amount among participants based on their individual interests.

More consequentially, Deere agreed to implement sweeping changes to its repair ecosystem. Specifically, Deere must provide farmers and independent repair providers with access to diagnostic tools, software, and technical information on “fair and reasonable terms,” including future updates. Deere established, as cited from the settlement, they were committed to: 

1. Deere Commits to Making Repair Resources Widely Available: Deere has committed to providing—and is already implementing—significant injunctive relief that will provide Owners, Lessors, and IRPs with the digital tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of Large Ag Equipment, and without which such equipment cannot be operated in the manner for which it was designed. (Making these tools available will enable farmers and IRPs to diagnose and repair problems without having to use the services of an authorized Dealer)

2. Make Repair Resources—which permit Deere Large Ag Equipment to be maintained, diagnosed, and repaired such that they can be operated in the manner for which they were designed—available to every Owner, Lessor, and IRP on a license or subscription basis on Fair and Reasonable Terms;

3. Make available to every Owner, Lessor, and IRP on Fair and Reasonable Terms Future Repair Resources that Deere provides to Deere Dealers as soon as access is granted to over 50 percent of Deere Dealer locations;

4. Provide Owners, Lessors, and IRPs with the ability to access and view Dealer Technical Assistance Center (“DTAC”) Solutions, consistent with Section A.3(p) of Appendix A, as incorporated in the definition of Repair Resources, no later than December 31, 2026;

5. Enable Owners, Lessors, and IRPs to report potential defects in design and manufacturing to Deere through Deere’s Customer Contact Center; and

6. Enable Owners, Lessors, and IRPs, through John Deere Operations Center PRO Service, to perform reprogramming and diagnostics in offline mode no later than December 31, 2026.

Collectively, these provisions aim to dismantle the alleged “repair monopoly” by enabling self-repair and third-party servicing. The agreement established the fund to reimburse all parties involved in the litigation and affected class members. As cited in the settlement, the settlement fund amount will be used to pay:

• the eligible Class members,

• reimburse Co-Lead Counsel for the costs, fees, and expenses related to notice and administration of the Settlement,

• reimburse the costs and expenses incurred by Class Counsel in litigating the Action,

• pay Class Counsel’s attorneys’ fees,

• pay service awards for each representative Plaintiff, and

• pay applicable taxes and tax-preparation expenses.

Who falls under the Settlement Class?

The settlement class includes all persons and entities in the United States who purchased repair services for Deere “Large Agricultural Equipment” from Deere or its authorized dealers during the class period. The documents produced in discovery and provided by Deere for notice purposes reflect a class size estimated to be well in excess of 200,000 farmers. “Large Ag Equipment” is defined in the Settlement Agreement as:

“agricultural equipment manufactured by John Deere, which depend for their functioning, in part, on electronic control units (‘ECUs’) and which include large and medium tractors (all 6000, 7000, 8000, and 9000 Series models); combines; cotton pickers; cotton strippers; sugarcane harvesters; tillage, seeding (including planters), and application equipment and sprayers.”

The certified class consists of all persons and entities who purchased Repair Services for Deere Large Agricultural Equipment from John Deere or its authorized Dealers in the United States between January 10, 2018, and May 18, 2026. Based on the filings, the distribution will be based on the total labor hours devoted to the repairs of the claimant’s Large Agricultural Equipment during the class period (Jan. 10, 2018 to May 18, 2026). This is contingent upon the proof provided with the claimants’ respective claim forms and/or the prepopulated data supplied by Deere. The settlement agreement notes that during discovery, the plaintiffs’ lawyers obtained data from Deere detailing the labor hours for the maintenance and repair of each piece of Large Agricultural Equipment, which were tracked by a unique Product Identification Number (PIN).

Deere must provide injunctive relief to the class for a ten-year period, during which the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois will have continued jurisdiction to enforce the terms of the Settlement.

Settlement Deadlines

            In mid-July, those that qualify as class members will begin to get notice of the settlement. The important date to keep in mind for many of you will be September 15, 2026. This date is the last date for class members to opt out of the settlement and pursue their own claims against Deere. At the same time, this is the last opportunity for class members to provide written objections to the settlement to the federal district court.

            One week later, on September 22, 2026, the Plaintiffs will file a motion for final approval of the settlement. After that is done, things will move quickly. The last date for class members who have not opted out to file a claim form will be October 15, 2026. A Fairness Hearing on the settlement will be held on October 29, 2026. Although not live as of writing this post, those who believe they are members of the class can go to www.DeereRepairSettlement.com for updates. As claim forms go out, this will be the spot where class members can verify their information.

Implications for Farmers and Agricultural Markets

This settlement addresses short- and long-term impacts, hopefully bringing stability to farmers in future planting seasons. In the short term, eligible farmers may obtain compensation for past repair overcharges. In the long term, the settlement’s injunctive provisions may fundamentally alter repair markets by lowering barriers to entry for independent service providers and enabling farmer self-repair.

Beyond the class action settlement, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), alongside the attorneys general of Illinois and Minnesota, initiated legal proceedings against Deere in January 2025 within the same jurisdiction, accusing the company of “unfair practices that have driven up equipment repair costs for farmers while also depriving farmers of the ability to make timely repairs”. See Federal Trade Commission, et al. v. Deere & Co., No. 3:25-cv-50017 (N.D. Ill.). This litigation alleges violations of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act as well as Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The FTC’s complaint centers on Deere’s restriction on farmers' access to diagnostic software, claiming that this practice constitutes an unfair method of competition that has driven up repair costs and deprived farmers of prompt repair options during essential planting and harvesting periods. The litigation is progressing, although the outcome remains uncertain. Luckily, there is now some relief available through the In re Deere & Company Repair Services Antitrust Litigation class action settlement.

Conclusion

 The Deere settlement marks a significant moment at the intersection of antitrust law and agricultural technology. By integrating monetary compensation with forward-looking injunctive relief, it provides a means of redress for past grievances while also establishing a framework for fostering more competitive repair markets. Keep in mind the deadlines listed, especially if you think that you will be a member of the class.