“Nebraska farmer Guy Mills figures he has spent more than half a million dollars over the past eight years on repairs to his Deere tractors and harvesters.
Mills farms 4,000 acres with five tractors and a harvester. When his harvester broke down in 2023, the repairs cost him $73,000, and the work was done at one of Deere's authorized dealers because he had nowhere else to go.
Farmers like Mills have spent four years waging a legal battle against what they say is Deere's tight grip over repairs and the escalating costs for them. "The expenses are really off the charts," Mills said.
In a 2022 lawsuit closely watched by advocates for the "right to repair" movement, farmers accused Deere of monopolizing repairs by limiting what farmers or independent mechanics can do.
They have complained for years that they lack adequate software tools to tackle major repairs themselves or that they can't use independent mechanics who could charge less than Deere's service shops.
Deere settled the case earlier this month, pledging $99 million to a settlement fund paid to plaintiffs, and to expand access to its software for diagnosing problems and prescribing fixes. The company says this allows farmers to do more repairs themselves or use their own mechanics.
The settlement has yet to be approved by a federal district-court judge in Illinois. Deere wouldn't have to admit to any wrongdoing under the deal.
Yet many farmers say it might not be enough. "The disparity continues," said Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, whose group claims Deere has made concessions like this before and that the promised software isn't as thorough as what dealers use.
"This is the same promise that John Deere has made to farmers for 10 years, and at each step it's fallen short," Larew said.
At the heart of the dispute is just how complex modern farm equipment has become.
Illinois-based Deere dominates North American sales of high-horsepower tractors, with new models costing around $500,000 and harvesters reaching $1 million.
In exchange, farmers get higher productivity and yields, as modern machines plow, plant, and harvest faster and more precisely than older equipment. But unlike older models, today's Deere machinery relies heavily on software, sensors and onboard systems that continuously monitor engine performance, transmission, speed and fuel use.
"The new equipment is really nice," said Walter Schweitzer, a farmer in Montana. "But it has so many computer controls in it. You have to reboot it. Sometimes it resets, but not always. Then, you have to have a dealer tech come out and do it."
The farm country self-repair campaign has drawn significant attention beyond farmers who depend on Deere tractors to make a living.
Auto enthusiasts, often daunted by the increasingly complex and proprietary nature of vehicle repairs, have drawn momentum from farmers. Car and Driver wrote that "the effects of this landmark case have a strong chance of spilling out into the automotive and technology markets." Tech publications, including the Verge and Gizmodo, have covered the Deere right-to-repair battles as well, taking note of the implications for smartphones, tablets and other gadgets.
Deere has argued that using authorized repair shops allows for long-lasting equipment and high resale values. The company has also pushed back against farmers' attempts to gain access to embedded software to make engines run faster, or to circumvent emissions controls to get better fuel economy.
Such changes would violate warranties and could wear down components and risk breakdowns as tractors and harvesters age, the company has said.
Moreover, Deere dealers depend on revenue from repairs and parts sales, said Brett Davis, chief executive of the North American Equipment Dealers Association trade group. "They're not going to stock parts if they're not going to make any money," he said.” [1]
1. Many Farmers Aren't Happy With Deere Repair Settlement --- Some are doubtful their ability to get equipment fixed will improve enough. Tita, Bob. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 20 Apr 2026: B2.
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