The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) slapped John Deere with a repair monopoly lawsuit in Illinois federal court on Wednesday, adding to class actions accusing the company of illegally withholding access to critical repair tools from farmers. This lawsuit is filed even as Deere faces mounting public pressure and a consolidated group of proposed class actions.
The FTC’s suit, joined by the attorneys general for Illinois and Minnesota, comes amid a divisive split within the commission. The agency’s two Republican members, soon to hold a majority, dissented in a 3-2 vote to bring the complaint. Incoming FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson criticized the lawsuit as premature, suggesting that ongoing settlement negotiations with Deere were still in play.
Filed in the Northern District of Illinois, the FTC’s complaint alleges that Deere has forced farmers, who depend on its agricultural equipment, to use only authorized dealers for repairs. This is done through a software diagnostic tool that only dealers can access. The lawsuit follows the FTC’s disclosure in October that it was investigating Deere’s right-to-repair policies.
