Two months after John Deere agreed to pay $99 million in a class-action settlement over claims it monopolized repairs on its agricultural equipment, some Wyoming farmers and ranchers say the agreement falls far short of solving the problem.
“We think it is an unfair settlement,” said Chad Franke, a Lander-area rancher and president of the Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union.
Jared Wilson of Wilson Farms Land and Cattle Co. in Missouri formally objected to the settlement this week, claiming it would harm the interests of every farmer in America. He argues the settlement will actually strengthen John Deere’s repair monopoly rather than dismantle it.
The class-action lawsuit claimed the tractor giant was monopolizing the repair market. Right-to-repair advocates say farmers should be able to fix tractors themselves or go to an independent repair shop.
Members of the lawsuit can opt out of the proposed settlement agreement between July 14 and Sept. 14, said Willie Cade, a board member for The Repair Association, which works with farmers unions and others in several states to push right-to-repair legislation. A final court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 29 in Rockford, Illinois.
The Problem
For years, farmers and ranchers have argued that agriculture equipment such as tractors and combines have become so technologically advanced they’re nearly impossible to fix themselves. They are often left with no choice but to pay John Deere dealerships when equipment fails.
That costs farmers time and money they often do not have.
The lawsuit alleges John Deere used its control over software and diagnostic tools to monopolize repairs on its equipment. Right-to-repair advocates contend owners should be able to repair their own machinery or hire independent mechanics.
According to legal filings, “America’s farmers have become dependent on the whim of these distant corporations and their agents for access to repair tools, repair services, and replacement parts.”
John Deere has denied any wrongdoing.
Details of the Settlement
The proposed settlement would compensate equipment owners who can show they paid more for repairs at a John Deere dealership than they would have paid if they had been allowed to perform the repair themselves or use an independent shop.
John Deere also agreed to support owner repairs and provide access to certain software, tools and diagnostic systems for the next 10 years.
But critics say the agreement doesn't go nearly far enough.
Court filings objecting to the settlement note that attorneys could seek about $51 million in legal fees, leaving substantially less for class members.
"Meanwhile, the average member of the Class will get, at best, a $400 check, remain under Deere's thumb, and see no meaningful change in their independence to repair their equipment," Wilson’s legal objection states.
"The cost in loss of independence and liberty to our farmers and our rural communities is incalculable."
Ranchers Respond
Monetarily, the settlement is a pittance, according to Franke.
“Ninety-nine million sounds like a lot of money, until you realize that a new combine is a million dollars,” he said.
By some estimates, the settlement would amount to roughly 79 cents per acre for about eight years of claims.
John Deere customers would have to prove through John Deere’s own system that they were overcharged, Franke said. That would mean the tractor company would determine who was and who was not overcharged, leading Franke to wonder about conflict of interest.
“It basically absolves John Deere of any liability,” he told Cowboy State Daily.
Franke also questioned why the company’s promise to support software and owners’ repairs was only good for 10 years, when equipment typically lasts much longer.
“It seems disingenuous,” he said.
Franke stopped short of saying whether the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union would encourage its members to opt out of the settlement. The National Farmers Union, of which the state organization is a member, is separately suing John Deere alongside the Federal Trade Commission in a pending antitrust case that is paused while the parties pursue settlement talks.
"There's a lot going on with this," Franke said. "But I am confident saying we're not happy with the settlement."
From Corporate to Independent
Brad Sage, owner of Sage Repair in Florence, Montana, spent more than 30 years working for John Deere dealerships before opening his own independent repair business.
He said he left because the company became increasingly corporate and restrictive.
Today, Sage said he can often repair equipment for about half what dealerships charge. But independent mechanics remain limited by their inability to access all of Deere's proprietary software and diagnostic tools.
“You don’t need to pay four people to do one job,” he previously told Cowboy State Daily.
Sage said farmers typically would go to the John Deere dealership for a problem when something strange, highly technical, or unusually time-consuming arose.
“That was the scenario before,” Sage said. “Now farmers are locked out (of solving equipment problems) because the information is too hard or cumbersome to come by.”
Right to Repair Momentum
The dispute comes as right-to-repair momentum continues to build nationally.
In 2025, 20 states introduced legislation aimed at including agricultural equipment under right-to-repair laws.
President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order to expand Americans' ability to repair their own vehicles by improving access to diagnostic information and repair tools.
Similar to the John Deere ordeal, access to repair information, diagnostic software and specialized tools have long hampered mechanics’ troubleshooting , which right-to-repair advocates say causes repairs to be more expensive.
In May, a separate federal antitrust lawsuit was filed against John Deere by a Chicago construction-equipment owner alleging the company employs similar repair restrictions on construction and forestry equipment. The suit alleges anti-competitive rules force owners to use authorized dealers, which has caused inflated repair costs and longer wait times since May 2022.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
