John Deere has agreed to pay $99 million to resolve a class action lawsuit that accused the company of restricting repair access for farmers and mechanics. As part of the settlement, John Deere will provide repair resources on a license or subscription basis for ten years.

The deal also stipulates that by the end of 2026, equipment owners and repair shops can reprogram or perform diagnostics on equipment while it is offline. This move aims to reduce the need for farmers to go to authorized John Deere dealers for repairs, though the company denies any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2022 by those who had paid John Deere dealers for repairs from January 2018 until a preliminary approval date. However, John Deere is also facing another lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission, which accuses it of increasing repair costs by forcing farmers to use its network of authorized dealers.

This settlement marks a significant development in the right-to-repair movement, potentially setting a precedent for other manufacturers. Critics argue that such practices stifle innovation and competition among repair services, while supporters see it as a necessary step towards consumer autonomy.