John Deere recently settled a lawsuit brought by farmers who argued that John Deere improperly withheld certain repair tools needed to fix their large agricultural equipment like tractors and combines.  This “right to repair” settlement has important implications for farmers around the country who own Deere equipment and may provide compensation for certain repair costs incurred over the last several years.

John Deere Tractor / Photo by Chris Robert on Unsplash

Background

Farmers sued John Deere in Illinois federal court claiming the company restricted access to the software and digital tools required to diagnose and repair newer John Deere equipment.  Without those tools, farmers were forced to rely exclusively on Deere-authorized dealers and repair shops, often resulting in higher repair costs and delays.

Settlement Agreement

Although Deere did not admit wrongdoing, the company agreed to:

• Pay $99 million into a settlement fund for class members who used Deere dealer repair services between January 10, 2018, and May 18, 2026.
• Provide repair tools and digital diagnostic information to farmers and independent repair shops for at least the next 10 years.

Separately, Deere also recently settled a related case with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that included the same requirement regarding providing tools and diagnostic information for the next 10 years.  This will solve one of the central concerns raised by farmers in the right to repair debate: access to the tools and information necessary to diagnose and repair their own equipment.  The FTC will oversee Deere’s compliance with the tool and information-access requirements over the next decade.

Next Steps and Decisions for Farmers

Farmers who fall within the definition of a class member have several important decisions to make–and critical deadlines approaching before the end of the year.

Are you a member of the class?

A farmer is included in the class if they meet each of the following requirements:

• Purchased repair services for John Deere large agricultural equipment;
• Obtained those services from John Deere or an authorized dealer; and
• Received the services in the United States between January 10, 2018, and May 18, 2026.

The following people are not part of the class:

• Deere or any of its parents, subsidiaries, or affiliates
• Deere officers, directors, employees and/or their immediate family members
• Any judicial officer presiding over the lawsuit, their immediate family members and their staff
• Governmental entities.

What are options for class members?

Class members must choose one of four options:

1. Submit a claim form.  Class members can decide to complete a claim form to remain part of the class and to qualify for payment from the settlement funds.  The claim form is being mailed to all class members for whom Deere has the appropriate information and also may be found online.  The form asks for basic contact information, information about all equipment and the qualifying repairs (this will be pre-filled based on John Deere records but may be supplemented to include additional repairs for which farmers have records), and warranty information, if any.  Payments will be based on the number of labor hours billed during the class time period. Critically, all claim forms must be submitted by December 31, 2026.
2. Opt out of the class.  Class members can decide to opt out of the class.  This essentially means that they do not want to be a part of the settlement.  They will give up their right to the settlement proceeds and will not be bound by the settlement terms.  Oftentimes, when people make this decision in the class action context, it is because they want to preserve their individual claims with an intent to individually sue.  Importantly, the opt out deadline is December 4, 2026.
3. Object to the settlement.  Class members may object to the settlement.  This allows an objector to tell the court that they disagree with the settlement terms.  Importantly, the objector remains a member of the class and may still receive payment.
4. Do nothing.  Class members could choose to do nothing.  People choosing this option will not receive any settlement funds and will forfeit their right to individually file suit against Deere for these claims in the future.

What happens next?

Notices are being mailed to all identifiable class members based on John Deere’s repair records.  Farmers who believe they qualify should watch their mailbox for the claim form.  Once the notice arrives, farmers can make one of the four choices listed above.

Those who do plan to submit a claim must do so no later than December 31, 2026.  Any farmer who does not receive a notice but believes they should be included as a class member can find additional information, including a claim form here.

This settlement is not final at this point.  The court will hold a fairness hearing scheduled on January 19, 2027.

More Information

For more information on this settlement and to see the claim form, click here.

We also have podcast episodes available on the Right to Repair and on class action litigation generally.