FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
Farmers Union Secures Government Action Against John Deere’s Monopoly Power
NEVADA – Iowa Farmers Union (IFU) and National Farmers Union (NFU) proudly supports the lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the attorneys general of Minnesota and Illinois against John Deere & Co., alleging the company’s repair restrictions violate competition laws. In partnership with NFU, IFU filed a formal complaint with the FTC and has long been at the forefront of the fight for farmers’ right to repair.
“Monopolies shouldn’t take tools out of the hands of farmers,” said Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman, a central Iowa farmer. “Farmers are innovative and hard-working, and they should have the right to repair their own equipment.”
“NFU filed the formal complaint with the FTC to uphold farmers’ basic economic right to repair their own equipment. Today’s lawsuits mark a key victory in this fight for family farmers and ranchers, recognizing that monopolies should not stop farmers from being able to repair their own equipment,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “When we prevail, farmers will have the power and freedom to fix their equipment faster and at a lower cost. We commend the FTC on this decisive step to safeguard farmers’ rights.”
For years, Farmers has championed farmers’ rights to access the tools, information and software necessary to repair their own machinery. John Deere’s repair policies block farmers from fixing their own equipment and force them to rely on a limited number of dealers. This had led to exorbitant costs and significant operational delays during critical planting and harvesting periods. A 2023 study by the US Public Interest Research Group found that U.S. farmers could save as much as $1.2 billion a year if manufacturers like John Deere stopped imposing repair restrictions.
###
About Iowa Farmers Union The Iowa Farmers Union is a grassroots membership organization of family farmers and ranchers, advocates, and consumers committed to promoting family agriculture in Iowa. Since 1915, Iowa Farmers Union members have worked together to strengthen the independent family farm through education, legislation, and cooperation and to provide Iowans with sustainable production, safe food, a clean environment, and healthy communities.