Justice Department Backs Farmers Suing John Deere

The DOJ supports a class-action lawsuit against Deere's monopolistic repair practices.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has thrown its support behind farmers suing John Deere over the company's monopolistic repair practices. The DOJ wrote in strong support of the farmers, stating that Deere is monopolizing the repair of its products by controlling maintenance services and requiring company-controlled software for diagnosis and maintenance. This could be a turning point in the case, which has consolidated 13 separate lawsuits against Deere into a single class-action suit.

Why it matters

The DOJ's statement represents the formal position of the U.S. government, signaling that the federal government under the Biden administration is taking a strong stance on antitrust enforcement and repair restrictions. This case highlights the broader right-to-repair movement, with lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states introducing bills to force manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts, and manuals necessary for farmers to make their own repairs.

The details

Deere's repair monopoly has forced many farmers to seek out older, more repairable tractors, or explore open-source tractor software. Farmers across the country have sued Deere, alleging the company is monopolizing the repair of its products by controlling maintenance services and requiring company-controlled software for diagnosis and maintenance. The DOJ has now urged the Illinois court overseeing the consolidated class-action case to allow the antitrust litigation against Deere to proceed.

  • The DOJ statement was issued on February 24, 2026.
  • The class-action lawsuit against Deere was filed last year and is currently under the jurisdiction of a federal court in Illinois.

The players

John Deere

A major agricultural equipment manufacturer that is accused of monopolizing the repair of its products.

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

The federal agency that has thrown its support behind the farmers suing John Deere, stating that the company's repair practices are monopolistic.

Farmers

A group of farmers across the country who have filed a consolidated class-action lawsuit against John Deere over the company's repair monopoly.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to allow the antitrust litigation against Deere to proceed.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing tensions between farmers and major agricultural equipment manufacturers over the right to repair their own machines. The DOJ's support for the farmers' lawsuit could be a significant turning point in the broader right-to-repair movement, which is also gaining traction through state-level legislation.