Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, together with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Federal Trade Commission, has initiated legal action against Deere & Company, commonly known as John Deere. The lawsuit alleges that Deere's business practices have increased repair costs for farmers and limited their ability to conduct timely repairs on essential farming equipment such as tractors.
The complaint claims that Deere's actions over the years have restricted both farmers and independent repair providers from servicing Deere equipment. This has allegedly compelled farmers to rely solely on Deere's authorized dealers for repairs, thereby enhancing Deere’s profits from agricultural equipment and parts at the expense of farmers.
"Minnesota farmers proudly feed and supply people across the world, and our farmers deserve better than what they’re getting from Deere,” stated Attorney General Ellison. “Deere has made it virtually impossible for farmers themselves or independent repair shops to fully repair Deere equipment, which forces farmers to rely on authorized Deere dealers, which can be more expensive, slower, and for some a long distance away from farms. I’m filing this lawsuit against Deere to end their unlawful repair monopoly and make it easier for Minnesota farmers to afford their lives.”
The suit highlights that while durable and easily repairable equipment is vital for American agriculture, Deere's market dominance has made self-repair difficult. According to the complaint, only authorized dealers have access to the complete software tool necessary for all repairs on Deere machinery.
Traditionally, farmers could manage costs by repairing their own equipment or using local independent shops. However, due to increased computerization in recent decades, they now depend on a software tool called Service ADVISOR provided exclusively to authorized dealers by Deere.
An alternative tool exists but lacks the capabilities of Service ADVISOR. The complaint suggests that unlike other industries such as automotive manufacturing, where generic tools are available, Deere has not released sufficient information for creating a similar tool for independent shops.
Deere’s control over its repair tools allegedly enables it to maintain monopoly power in certain repair services markets. The company reportedly ensures its network of dealers uses costly branded parts rather than generic ones during repairs.
Despite public demand and legislative efforts advocating for farmers' right to repair their own equipment, Deere continues withholding essential tools needed by owners and independent service providers. This practice is said to hinder efficient crop production schedules and increase financial burdens related to repairs.
Attorney General Ellison seeks court intervention requiring Deere to provide its comprehensive Service ADVISOR tool along with other resources available exclusively through authorized channels.
Ellison encourages Minnesota residents concerned about antitrust issues related directly or indirectly with this case file reports online via an Antitrust Report Form or contact his office through designated phone numbers provided in official communications.