Editing John Deere

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=American manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment.
|Founded=1837
|Industry=Agricultural Machinery, Heavy Equipment
|Logo=John Deere logo.png
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Public
|Website=https://deere.com/
}}
[[wikipedia:John_Deere|John Deere]] is a leading manufacturer of agricultural and heavy machinery. Founded in 1837, the company is primarily known for its heavy-duty agricultural equipment, such as tractors and combines. Recently, its business practices, particularly concerning equipment repair, have faced criticism. These practices have raised concerns among farmers, independent repair technicians, and consumer-advocacy groups.<ref name="jdflrtrt">{{Cite web |last=Selyukh |first=Alina |date=16 Jan 2025 |title=John Deere faces U.S. lawsuit over farmers' ability to repair tractors |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-5260895/john-deere-ftc-lawsuit-right-to-repair-tractors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503174931/https://www.npr.org/2025/01/15/nx-s1-5260895/john-deere-ftc-lawsuit-right-to-repair-tractors |archive-date=3 May 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=www.npr.org}}</ref>

==Consumer impact summary==
[[File:John deere doc.png|thumb|524x524px|Front Page of the FTC's Suit Against John Deere<ref name="DCRCCN325">[https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/DeereCoREDACTEDComplaintCaseNo325-cv-50017.pdf UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS WESTERN DIVISION] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260221171915/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/DeereCoREDACTEDComplaintCaseNo325-cv-50017.pdf Archived])</ref>]]

===Repairability===
Access to essential repair software and diagnostic tools is reportedly limited by John Deere.<ref name="dith3">{{Cite web |date=5 Feb 2021 |title=Deere in the Headlights |url=https://pirg.org/resources/deere-in-the-headlights-3/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404124159/https://pirg.org/resources/deere-in-the-headlights-3/ |archive-date=4 Apr 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=pirg.org}}</ref> Such restrictive policies can hinder farmers from performing repairs independently or utilizing independent repair shops, thereby necessitating reliance on authorized dealerships.<ref name="jdflrtrt" />

====Monopoly on repairs====
Farmers have reported that without access to John Deere's proprietary tools, they're unable to address certain mechanical issues, even minor ones.<ref name="fssdcp">{{Cite web |date=15 Jan 2025 |title=FTC, States Sue Deere & Company to Protect Farmers from Unfair Corporate Tactics, High Repair Costs |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-states-sue-deere-company-protect-farmers-unfair-corporate-tactics-high-repair-costs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250429162248/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-states-sue-deere-company-protect-farmers-unfair-corporate-tactics-high-repair-costs |archive-date=29 Apr 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=[[FTC]]}}</ref> There are measures in place that prevent independent repair technicians from completing repair,<ref name="dith3" /> such as:

*[[Digital rights management|Software locks]] that control user autonomy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Kevin |date=18 Jul 2023 |title=Service Obstructor: John Deere software restricts farmer repair |url=https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/john-deere-repair-software/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622174115/https://pirg.org/edfund/resources/john-deere-repair-software/ |archive-date=22 June 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=pirg.org}}</ref>
*Requiring access to proprietary software.<ref name="fssdcp" />
*Controlling access to repair resources and parts.<ref name="fssdcp" />

Through eliminating competition in the repair market, John Deere has allegedly unlawfully inflated repair cost.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Byrnes |first=Dave |date=15 Jan 2025 |title=FTC accuses John Deere of unlawful equipment repair practices |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/ftc-accuses-john-deere-of-unlawful-equipment-repair-practices/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427213734/https://www.courthousenews.com/ftc-accuses-john-deere-of-unlawful-equipment-repair-practices/ |archive-date=27 Apr 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=Courthouse News Service}}</ref> To take back some control, mechanics and technicians are reportedly buying pirated John Deere firmware online to repair consumer tractors, at the risk of being scammed or clicking sketchy links.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Koebler |first=Jason |date=21 Mar 2017 |title=Why American Farmers Are Hacking Their Tractors With Ukrainian Firmware |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/why-american-farmers-are-hacking-their-tractors-with-ukrainian-firmware/? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404160107/https://www.vice.com/en/article/why-american-farmers-are-hacking-their-tractors-with-ukrainian-firmware/ |archive-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=Vice}}</ref>

====Opposition to right-to-repair legislation====
John Deere has actively lobbied against [[Right to repair|right-to-repair]] legislation in multiple states, and on the federal level.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Proctor |first=Nathan |last2=Sherwood |first2=Will |date=27 Nov 2024 |title=John Deere and Right to Repair over the years |url=https://pirg.org/resources/john-deere-and-right-to-repair-over-the-years/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250510155839/https://pirg.org/resources/john-deere-and-right-to-repair-over-the-years/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=10 May 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=pirg.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bamberg |first=Jennifer |date=17 Apr 2024 |title=Farmers’ long fight for the Right to Repair gets little traction in John Deere’s home state of Illinois |url=https://wisconsinwatch.org/2024/04/midwest-farmers-right-to-repair-agriculture-john-deere-illinois/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250510155926/https://wisconsinwatch.org/2024/04/midwest-farmers-right-to-repair-agriculture-john-deere-illinois/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=10 May 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=Wisconsin Watch}}</ref> Despite signing a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2023, the company has been accused of undermining the spirit of the agreement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dickey |first=Dave |date=12 Nov 2024 |title=Is John Deere’s day of reckoning soon at hand? |url=https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/12/is-john-deeres-day-of-reckoning-soon-at-hand/#:~:text=In%20a%20nutshell%3A%20Deere%20embeds%20authorization%20codes%20in,dealers%20have%20access%20to%20all%20the%20verification%20codes. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428213115/https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/11/12/is-john-deeres-day-of-reckoning-soon-at-hand/ |archive-date=28 Apr 2025 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=Investigate Midwest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=10 Jan 2023 |title=John Deere memo: Farmers have NOT won, but that won't stop the news from pretending they did. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-RgOUT3zeo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=7-RgOUT3zeo |archive-date=2 Apr 2023 |access-date=24 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

==Incidents==

This is a list of all consumer protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===FTC Lawsuit (''January 2025'')===
On January 15, 2025, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) filed a lawsuit against John Deere, alleging anti-competitive practices in the repair market.<ref name="fssdcp" /><ref name="DCRCCN325" /> The lawsuit claims that:

*John Deere unlawfully inflated repair costs by monopolizing the repair-service market.
*The company's restrictive policies violated consumer-protection laws and limited farmers' ability to maintain their equipment.

===Security flaws exposed sensitive customer information (''2021'')===
{{Main|John Deere security flaws exposed sensitive customer information}}
A number of security flaws in the software John Deere provided could have allowed hackers to find and download the personal data of all owners of the company’s farming vehicles and equipment.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author=Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai |date=22 April 2021 |title=Bugs Allowed Hackers to Dox John Deere Tractor Owners |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bugs-allowed-hackers-to-dox-all-john-deere-owners/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251219042942/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bugs-allowed-hackers-to-dox-all-john-deere-owners/ |archive-date=19 Dec 2025 |publisher=Vice Media |language=en |format=article}}</ref> John Deere downplayed the impact while simultaneously increasing their security practices.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Laurie Bedord |date=23 Apr 2021 |title=John Deere Addresses the Ongoing Risks of Living in a Digital World |url=https://www.agriculture.com/news/technology/john-deere-addresses-the-risks-of-living-in-a-digital-world |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250723043851/https://www.agriculture.com/news/technology/john-deere-addresses-the-risks-of-living-in-a-digital-world |archive-date=23 Jul 2025 |publisher=Successful Farming |language=en |format=article}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |author=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=25 Apr 2021 |title=John Deere instigates hackers, gets hacked again |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB_SleNKBus |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=rB_SleNKBus |archive-date=23 Feb 2026 |publisher=YouTube |language=en |format=video |ref=Rossmann-video-2}}</ref> Later in in 2024, security jobs opened and they started to partner up with security researchers.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Paul F. Roberts |date=14 Apr 2021 |title=184 Years In: Ag Giant John Deere Awaits Its First Software Vulnerability |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulfroberts/2021/04/14/184-years-in-ag-giant-john-deere-awaits-its-first-software-vulnerability/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250723050713/https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulfroberts/2021/04/14/184-years-in-ag-giant-john-deere-awaits-its-first-software-vulnerability/ |archive-date=23 Jul 2025 |publisher=Forbes |format=article}}</ref>

=== Failure to uphold signed right-to-repair agreement (''2021 - Present'') ===
{{Main|John Deere fails to uphold right to repair agreement}}
In 2018, [[John Deere|'''John Deere''']] entered a voluntary agreement to provide manuals, training, and diagnostic software for tractors available to purchase by January 1, 2021. However, the company does not appear to have fulfilled this commitment, nor does it seem to have plans to do so in the near future.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Joel Hruska |date=23 Feb 2021 |title=John Deere Fails to Uphold Right to Repair Agreement Signed in 2018 |url=https://www.extremetech.com/electronics/320183-john-deere-fails-to-uphold-right-to-repair-agreement-signed-in-2018 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250930030704/https://www.extremetech.com/electronics/320183-john-deere-fails-to-uphold-right-to-repair-agreement-signed-in-2018 |archive-date=30 Sep 2025 |publisher=Extreme Tech |language=en |format=article}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=25 Feb 2021 |title=John Deere screws over farmers by weaseling out of agreement |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHfE_k1a0xQ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=ZHfE_k1a0xQ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026 |publisher=YouTube |language=en |format=video |ref=Rossmann-video-1}}</ref>

===Lobbying against right to repair (''2020 - Present'')===
{{Main|John Deere dealerships lobby against right to repair}}
John Deere dealerships lobbied against a right to repair bill that was discussed in Maine, stating a number of reasons. They question the definition of a motor vehicle, and regarding the legislation if it should apply to motor vehicles due to what they call safety concerns. One dealer argues that right to repair is a touchy subject, as "a lot of us dealers sit back, and say we really almost don't want in essence people possibly working on our equipment."

==References==
<references />
[[Category:John Deere]]