The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Illinois and Minnesota attorneys general in mid-January filed suit against Deere & Co. over the company’s high cost and restrictive repair practices.
“The FTC’s action today seeks to ensure that farmers across America are free to repair their own equipment or use repair shops of their choice—lowering costs, preventing ruinous delays, and promoting fair competition for independent repair shops,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan.
The FTC said Deere’s monopoly practices have made it difficult for farmers to repair their own equipment or use local independent repair shops. The suit seeks to require Deere to make access available to its Service ADVISOR repair tool and any other repair resources available to authorized dealers.
