Deere Promises Farmers Right to Repair, But Can They Be Trusted?

After nearly a decade of fighting Right to Repair laws, John Deere makes a concession, but the agreement has major limitations.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 9:01am

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A close-up photograph of a shiny, chrome tractor part or sensor floating on a clean, white background, dramatically lit to create sharp shadows and a sense of corporate control over repair access.A gleaming tractor part symbolizes the battle over farmers' right to repair their own equipment.NYC Today

After nearly a decade of fighting Right to Repair laws, John Deere has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) promising to provide farmers and independent repair shops with access to manuals, diagnostics, and repair software. However, the agreement comes with strings attached - the AFBF has promised to refrain from supporting any Right to Repair legislation beyond the commitments in the MOU. Experts are skeptical that Deere will uphold its promises, given the company's history of making and breaking repair access commitments.

Why it matters

The agreement is a step forward for farmers' repair rights, but it lacks any enforcement mechanism to hold Deere accountable. Historically, Deere has been very resistant to providing farmers the tools they need to fix their own equipment, arguing it would undermine cybersecurity and enable piracy. This agreement shows those arguments were likely just excuses to maintain control. Farmers need true, enforceable Right to Repair laws to guarantee their ownership rights.

The details

The MOU requires Deere to provide farmers and independent repair shops with access to manuals, on-board diagnostics, and the same diagnostic software that Deere dealerships use. However, the agreement is unclear on whether it provides full access to Deere's proprietary 'Service ADVISOR' software that dealers use, as well as the 'payload files' needed to activate spare parts. The agreement also has no enforcement mechanism, and Deere can terminate it with 30 days' notice. Deere has a long history of making repair access promises and then failing to uphold them.

  • In 2015, Deere began arguing that farmers don't really own their tractors, just have an 'implied license' to operate them.
  • In 2021, Deere controlled 53% of the large tractor market and 60% of the farm combine market in the US.
  • On Sunday, April 20, 2026, the AFBF signed the MOU with Deere.

The players

John Deere

A major agricultural equipment manufacturer that has fought Right to Repair laws for nearly a decade, but has now made a concession by signing an MOU with the AFBF.

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)

A national organization representing farmers that signed the MOU with Deere, agreeing to refrain from supporting Right to Repair legislation beyond the commitments in the agreement.

The Repair Association

A group of Right to Repair advocates and experts who were not involved in the negotiation of the Deere-AFBF MOU, and who would have focused on tightening up definitions around software access, permissions, and pricing.

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What they’re saying

“My legal brain says this is a strange way to create legal rights (also, I don't think it does).”

— Anthony Schutz, Law Professor, Nebraska College of Law

What’s next

Experts believe states will likely seek to pass laws to hold agricultural equipment manufacturers like Deere accountable, as the MOU lacks any enforcement mechanism. Right to Repair advocates will continue to push for comprehensive legislation to guarantee farmers' repair rights across all equipment brands, not just Deere.

The takeaway

While the Deere-AFBF agreement represents a concession from the manufacturer, it is ultimately an unenforceable promise that falls short of providing farmers the full repair rights they need. Comprehensive Right to Repair legislation, not voluntary industry agreements, is the best way to ensure farmers can fix their own equipment regardless of the brand.