Farmers should have the right to fix their own tractors.
Large farm equipment manufacturers like John Deere have made it harder for farmers to repair their own equipment by restricting access to the software and diagnostic tools needed to make many repairs.
When farmers have to rely on an authorized dealership, a breakdown can mean hauling equipment long distances and waiting days for repairs. During planting or harvest, that lost time can cost farmers thousands of dollars.
These restrictions also hurt independent repair shops and rural communities by limiting who can work on farm equipment.
Farmers have fixed their own equipment for generations. Farm Action has been fighting to make sure they can keep doing it. Years of work by farmers and Right to Repair advocates have led to major progress at both the state and federal levels.
In 2023, Colorado became the first state in the nation to pass a law giving farmers the right to repair their own equipment. Farm Action continues to work with farmers and allies to advance Right to Repair protections across the country.
Holding John Deere Accountable
In 2022, Farm Action and other farm organizations called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate John Deere’s repair restrictions.
In January 2025, the FTC sued John Deere, alleging that the company unlawfully limited farmers’ and independent repair shops’ ability to repair Deere equipment.
Then, in July 2026, the FTC and five states reached a settlement with John Deere. Under the proposed court order, Deere would have to give farmers and independent repair shops access to repair tools and software comparable to those available to its authorized dealers. The requirements would remain in place for 10 years.
Farm Action will keep watching to make sure these changes lead to real repair access for farmers.
Right to Repair has come a long way, but the work isn’t over. Farmers need repair rights that work in the real world—not just promises on paper. With your support, Farm Action can keep standing up to powerful equipment manufacturers and fighting for farmers and independent businesses.
“After years of fighting for the right to repair, this order gives farmers real hope. But promises on paper must become tools in farmers’ hands, and we will be watching implementation every step of the way,” said Willie Cade, a Farm Action Local Leader and Right to Repair advocate.
Just two companies—John Deere and CNH Industrial—control nearly 90% of the U.S. markets for large tractors and combines, harming farmers and rural communities.
“We applaud the FTC for this bold action to bring justice to farmers who have been stripped of their right to repair their own equipment, robbing them of time and money as a result,” said Farm Action’s Joe Maxwell.